RAINING 


AND 


ANDLING 


MODERN 


AND  HA 


BY. 


B-   WATERS 


B°STON 

PUBL1SHINO 

1894 


Copyright,  1894 
BY  J.   LORING   THAYER    PUBLISHING   CO. 


Korttodl  ann  CthuttftiU 

BOSTON 


CONTENTS. 


MSDERN  TRAINING  AND  HANDLING. 

CHAPTER   I. 

The  setter  and  pointer — General  appreciation — False  sentiments  relat- 
ing to  field  sports— The  dog  commonly  misunderstood — The  Gor- 
don setter — Degeneracy — Undesirable  type— Few  specimens — No 
public  performances — Unimportance  of  the  breed — The  Irish  setter 
— Uniformity  of  type — Symmetry — Field  merit — Champion  Elcho, 
Jr. — The  English  setter — Public  estimation  of  superiority — Irregular 
breeding — Beauty  of  form — Marchioness  Peg — Champion  Paul  Glad- 
stone— Pegjim — Roderigo — Color  —  The  pointer  —  Improvement  — 
Champion  Robert  le  Diable — The  origin  of  the  setter — Matter  of 
speculation — "Setting  spaniel" — Popular  errors — No  evidence  of 
spaniel  origin — Arguments  against  it— Characteristics  of  setter  and 
pointer — The  pointing  instinct — Popular  fallacies — Relative  qualities 
— Prejudices — Staleness — Retrieving  —  "  Inherited  training" — Con- 
stitution and  breeding — Will  power — Weight  and  size — Strength 
and  endurance — Objections  to  heavy  dogs — Objections  to  light  dogs 
— Conformation — Habits — The  timid  dog — The  obstinate — The- 
rattle-headed — The  vicious — The  sulky — The  cunning — The  en- 
thusiastic— Modes  of  treating  each — Knowledge  of  character.. . .  21 

CHAPTER  II. 

Nomenclature— The  paucity  of  field  nomenclature — Its  inconvenience- 
Absence  of  terms — Feathering — Breaking — Training — Handling.  55 

CHAPTER   III. 

The   amateur   trainer — Faults   of    amateurs — Irregular    temper;   its  ill 
effects — Necessity    of    studying  dispositions — Irregular  effort    and 
(v) 


vj  CONTENTS, 

Inefficiency— Observing  details -Advantages  of  habits  of  observa- 
tion—Faultiness  of  over-training— Regular  shooting  and'  training 
incompatible— A  knowledge  of  training  results  in  skillful  handling— 
The  dog  should  be  considered  a  reasoning  animal — Loud  commands 
unnecessary  and  offensive— Benefits  of  self-control— A  good  trainer 
must  be  fond  of  dogs— Manual  dexterity  required— No  unnecessary 
force  should  be  used — Bad  effects  of  punishment  on  a  dog's  consti- 
tution   °° 

CHAPTER  IV. 

General  remarks  on  training — Faultiness  of  common  methods — Pointing 
and  ranging— The  foundation  of  field  work— No  secret  in  training- 
Kind  treatment  conducive  to  success— The  primary  education  the 
most  difficult— No  arbitrary  system — Industry  and  enthusiasm — 
Compulsion  and  suasion  combined — Dogs  trained  when  too  young — 
Perfection  from  skillful  training — Erroneous  theories — Inferior  capa- 
bilities cannot  be  corrected — No  short  systems  in  training — Length 
of  time  required — Different  stages  of  training — Training  permanently 
fixed  by  habit — ^General  irregularities  of  progress  — General  excel- 
lence desirable — Whimsicalities — Some  dogs  incapable  of  receiv- 
ing a  training — One  thing  at  a  time — Forgetfulness  excusable — 
Lessons  should  not  be  too  long — Advantages  of  companionship — 
Individuality  of  dogs 67 

CHAPTER  V. 

Instruments  used  in  training — The  spike-collar — The  whip — The  whistle 
— The  chcckcord — Their  use 82 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Commands — Analogy  of  methods  in  teaching  all  commands — Commands 
known  by  sight,  sound  and  feeling— Association  of  ideas— Com- 
mands and  signals  commonly  used— Come  in -Go  on— Heel— Drop 
—Hold  up-Dead  bird-Find-Fetch-Steady—Whoa—Commands 
in  ordinary  tones -Loud  tones  become  habitual— Obedience  to  sig- 
nals—Exclamations  inartistic— Deceptive  orders  to  be  avoided. .  96 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Preparatory  training— Yard  training— House  training— Dog  learns  cor- 
rect deportment  from  association— Ignorance  of  inexperienced  dogs 
—Disagreeable  traits  in  domestication— Placing  feet  on  the  person 


CONTENTS.  tfll 

—How  corrected— Habitual  barking — Dislike  of  handler  is  ob- 
structive— Serious  demeanor  in  teaching — Moderate  lessons — Ab- 
rupt changes  confusing — Age  of  puppy  for  yard  training — The  dif- 
ferent commands— How  each  is  taught 101 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Retrieving — General  remarks — Pointers  easier  to  teach^— Fidelity  in 
teaching  details— Poor  retrieving — Disadvantages  of  retrieving — 
How  corrected — A  first-class  retriever's  qualities — Difficult  branch 
of  training — Calm  exterior — Dog  learns  trainer's  expression — Re- 
trieving from  water;  its  harmfulness— The  Chesapeake  Bay  dog — 
The  Irish  water  spaniel — Two  methods  of  teaching  retrieving — The 
"natural"  method— Applied  in  puppy  hood— No  spectators  at  lessons 
— Taking  advantage  of  playfulness — Manner  of  teaching  the  natural 
method — Tact  required — Correcting  bad  habits — Effects  of  associated 
surroundings — No  mouthing  allowable— Common  faults — "Give" — 
-  Importance  of  details — Long  lessons  objectionable — Variety  of 
practice — Repugnance  to  grasping  feathers — Regularity  in  teaching 
— Uncertain  time  required  to  teach  retrieving — Rewards — Taking 
advantage  of  jealousy — Failure — Uncertainty  of  the  method — Its 
faultiness — 111  effects  of  punishment — Retrieving  not  inherited — The 
force  system — Accessory  to  the  natural  method — Its  advantages — 
Erroneous  beliefs — Dexterity  required — Brutality  unnecessary — 
Terror  is  obstructive — Faults  in  training — Preparatory  use  of  collar 
• — Overheated — First  stage  in  training — Punishment — How  to  make 
a  dog  open  his  mouth — Willing  dogs — Obstructive  traits  enumerated 
— How  corrected — Second  stage — Third  stage — Rewards— Holding 
the  dog's  confidence — Hard  mouth;  how  prevented — High  head — 
Delivering  the  bird  to  hand — Picking  up  lost  birds— Field  retrieving 
—  Faults  necessary  to  correct — Marking  the  fall  of  birds;  its  value — 
When  to  begin — "Find" — Taught  during  puppyhood — How  to  teach 
the  puppy  to  seek  dead — Winged  birds — "Steady;"  how  taught — 
Persistent  effort  necessary I  ;8 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Preparatory  field  training — Proper  age  to  begin  field  work — Quails  the 
best  bird  —  Self-hunting  experience  necessary  —  Dog's  capabilities 
injured  by  excessive  restraint— Time  required  to  give  experience  — 
How  to  avoid  gun  shyness — Dog's  confidence  must  not  be  impaired 
— How  to  accustom  the  dog  to  the  gun — Evils  of  working  puppies 


vj|j  CONTENTS. 

together-Method  taught  after  experience-Erroneous  methods- 
Highest  degree  of  working  development— Value  of  ranging -Health 
essential  to  good  work-Punishment  for  mistakes,  erroneous— Good 
grounds,  an  advantage-Dog  becomes  careless  when  birds  are  scarce 
-The  importance  of  a  water  supply-Birds  are  natural  prey-' 
days"— Deafness  and  obstinacy— Deafness  from  exposure  or  care 
less  shooting  — Faults  from  jealousy  —  Errors  in  treatment  of  a 

puppy If 

CHAPTER  X. 

Pointing— The  exquisite  delicacy  of  the  dog's  nose— Variability  of  point- 
ing—Wide nostrils  no  criterion  of  scenting  powers— The  olfactory 
nerves— Their  distribution— The  origin  of  the  pointing  instinct- 
Common  fallacies— The  use  of  instincts— Analogous  traits  in  other 
animals— The  origin  of  pointing  unknown— The  real  use  of  point- 
ing—The point  not  cataleptic— Pointing  from  compulsion— Pointing 
intelligently  to  the  gun— Intelligent  acts— Age  at  which  the  instinct 
appears— Instinct  dormant  till  maturity— Disuse  does  not  impair 
it— Hunting  rabbits,  a  natural  instinct— Early  pointing  no  indication 
of  superiority — Late  development  of  the  instinct — Speculative  opin- 
ions-Pointing by  sight;  its  faults— Pointing,  how  established - 
Steadying  the  dog  on  point— Caution  necessary— The  correct  dis- 
tance to  point— Different  dispositions— Punishment— One  dog  at  a 
time — Dog  should  not  be  restrained  too  much — Dog  should  point 
on  his  own  judgment — Abnormal  development  of  the  instinct — 
Dropping  to  point — Often  caused  by  dropping  to  wing — Flushing  to 
order— Its  faults— Pointing  larks,  how  corrected— False  pointing- 
Flushes— Flushes  unavoidable— How  to  treat  flushing— Effects  of 
wind  on  scent — The  dog's  love  of  approbation — Flushing  caused  by 
the  voice — Shooting  flushed  birds ,. 171 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Ranging — Advantages  of  unrestrained  preliminary  experience— Learn- 
ing the  habits  and  haunts  of  birds— The  dog's  memory  of  places — 
Marking  the  flight  of  birds — Hunting  without  training— The  dog's 
intelligent  methods  of  pursuit — Experience  and  inexperience — Edu- 
cation and  experience  combined — The  principle  alike  for  all  sec- 
tions— Length  of  time  required — Faults  of  amateurs — Imperfect 
ranging  ;  different  forms,  how  corrected — Ranging  should  be  regard- 
less of  wind— Speed  necessary— Superiority  of  the  fast  dog—  Dogs 


CONTENTS.  IX 

worked  too  slowly — The  correct  range— Its  variability— Dog's  range 
should  be  controllable — The  cunning  of  the  dog  in  methods  of  pur- 
suit— The  foxhound's  intelligence — The  greyhound — Running  cun- 
ning— The  setter  and  pointer  learn  by  experience — Their  imitative 
faculties  —The  method  of  the  expert  handler 193 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Drawing  and  reading,  how  performed — Good  and  bad  performers — 
Scarcity  of  brilliant  performers — High  nose  and  quick  execution — 
Drawing  by  body  scent  and  foot  scent — Slow  reading  by  foot  scent 
— Imperfect  drawing  and  reading — Over-cautiousness  a  fault — Proper 
method  to  teach  reading — When  to  assist  the  dog — Pottering — Use- 
lessness  of  the  whip — The  puzzle  peg  ;  its  worthlessness — When  to 
work  a  puppy  with  a  companion — Evils  of  working  with  an  unsteady 
dog  —  Perfect  liberty  necessary  —  Disadvantages  of  constant  re- 
straint    204 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Backing — Variability  of  backing — Backing  is  not  instinctive — It  develops 
with  experience — Reasons  against  its  being  an  inherent  trait— In- 
stinct— Instincts  are  strictly  individual— The  real  uses  of  backing — 
Reasons  for  its  being  an  intelligent  act — Analogous  acts  of  hounds — 
Backing  the  shooter — Backing  the  gun — Pointing  and  backing 
learned  by  dogs  of  different  breeds — Peculiarities  of  individuals — 
False  pointing  detrimental — Uniformity  of  instincts — Variability  of 
intelligence  —  Backing,  how  taught — Stealing  points  —  Jealousy — 
Backing  from  compulsion — Advantages  of  a  steady  dog — Excessive 
backing — "  Backing  each  other  "—  Correcting  trained  dogs. .  . ,  210 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Quartering — A  mechanical  manner  of  ranging — Preliminary  experience 
required — How  taught — Course  must  be  up  wind — Dog  takes  casts 
across  wind — How  conducted — Can  only  be  practiced  up  wind — The 
difficulty  of  teaching  it — Brace  work — Many  dogs  are  unfit  for  brace 
work — Theoretical  brace  work  —  Approximate  correctness — Disad- 
vantages of  quartering — Memory  and  intelligence  not  exercised — 
Time  wasted  in  quartering 222 

CHAPTER   XV. 
Dropping  to  wing  and  shot — Similarity  of  commands — Dropping  to  wing 


x  CONTENTS. 

or  shot  unnecessary— Its  benefits  overrated— Its  disadvantages- 
Proper  juncture  to  teach— How  taught— Advantages  of  thorough 
preliminary  training— Dropping  to  point,  taught  unintentionally— 
Care  necessary  to  avoid  teaching  it— Sulky  and  obstinate  dogs- 
Dropping  to  points  from  fatigue— Judgment  in  selecting  opportu- 
nities    227 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Turning  to  whistle— The  dog's  powers  of  observation— Different  notes 
for  different  turns— Self-willed  dogs— Force  sometimes  necessary- 
How  applied— Long-continued  lessons  necessary 231 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Brace  work— Formal  brace  work  unpopular— Good  dogs  not  always  good 
brace  workers— Equal  speed  and  range  desirable — Importance  of 
independent  work  — Supplementary  work  —  Thorough  training,  a 
necessity— Imperfect  perception  of  sounds— Each  dog  should  obey 
independently — The  correct  discipline  in  brace  work — Discipline  in 
retrieving — Using  the  dog's  name  as  a  command — Refinement  in 
training— Observing  formalities 233 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Shyness — Different  kinds — Hereditary  shyness  a  fallacy — Often  due  to 
carelessness  or  punishment  —  Nervousness— Bad  methods — Incur- 
able gun  shyness — Changed  surroundings  sometimes  beneficial — 
Different  methods  with  different  dogs — Traits  caused  by  gun  shy- 
ness—Ill effects  of  punishment — Care  necessary  to  avoid  blinking — 
Degrees  of  gun  shyness — Methods  sf  cure — Running  away — Train- 
ers prefer  untrained  dogs — Blinking  combined  with  gun  shyness — 
Blinking  from  nervousness — Abandonment  of  points — Difficulty  of 
curing  blinking— Difficulty  of  detecting  it — How  cured — Benefits  of 
chasing — Changing  handlers — Prevention — Peculiarities  of  bolting — 
Slight  causes  often  produce  it — Uselessness  of  chasing  a  runaway — 
Different  devices  to  capture — Breaking  of  the  habit — Whipping 
erroneous — Running  down  with  a  horse — One  lesson  generally  suffi- 
cient— Precautionary  measures 236 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Unsteadiness — Natural  effort  of  the  dog  to  capture — Unsteadiness  easily 
cured — Not  always  expedient  in  training — Gradual  correction — Break- 


CONTENTS.  Xt 

ing  from  chasing  rabbits — Similarity  of  methods — Caution  necessary 
— Confirmed  shot  breakers — Ordinary  treatment — The  final  method 
for  bad  cases — Any  dog  can  be  cured ....-.,  250 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Trained  and  over-trained — Self-confidence  and  training  combined — Differ- 
ent manner  of  handling  for  different  sections — The  properly  trained 
dog — Over-training  caused  by  ceaseless  dicipline — Its  evils — How 
cured — Its  glaring  inferiority  in  competition 254 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Conditioning  dogs  for  field  trials — Handling — Poor  running  condition 
leads  to  defeat — The  value  of  thorough  preparatory  work — Sharp 
practice  a  poor  resource — Skillful  handling  and  poor  dogs— False 
beliefs — Effects  of  change  of  diet,  climate,  etc.— -Advantages  of  inde- 
pendent work — Preparatory  work — Preserving  speed  by  short  work 
—  Speed  and  nose — Three  days'  race — A  steady,  all  day  gait — Endur- 
ance— Regular  work — Irregular  effort  in  competition  ;  its  weakness 
— Working  with  strange  dogs — Age  of  Derby  entries — Reasons  for  a 
liberal  age  limit — Uselessness  of  running  "one  season "  puppies — 
Disadvantages  in  training  them — Hints  on  handling — Conditioning 
for  private  field  work — Hints  on  conditioning 257 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  intelligence  of  the  dog — The  dog  is  a  rational  animal — Common 
reasons  against  the  dog's  intelligence — Their  fallacy — The  intelli- 
gence proven  by  common  phenomena — Instinct — Various  definitions 
— Darwin's  views — Instincts  are  for  the  preservation  of  the  individual 
— Elementary  principles  of  mind — Physiological  dependence— The 
senses  the  only  medium  of  knowledge — Analogies  in  brain  structure 
— Reason — Sensation — Perception — Knowledge — The  dog's  knowl- 
edge only  from  experience — Memory — Association  of  ideas — Com- 
plexities of  training — Improvement  comes  with  experience 266 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Field  etiquette — The  wholesomeness  of  field  sports — The  need  of  eti- 
quette— Peculiarities  of  sportsmen — "Talking  dog" — First  princi- 
ples— Rules  of  behavior — Selfishness — Conduct  as  a  guest — Use 
your  friend's  cartridges — Shoot  your  friend's  birds — Giving  the 
wrong  "  tip" — Your  dog  is  the  best — Arrange  the  route  to  suit  you — 


XJi  CONTENTS. 

'  Wiping  his  eye  " — Affected  modesty — Gun  pointed  at  a  compan- 
ion— Call  a  point  loudly — Explain  your  misses  always — Loaded  gun 
whe  riding — Keep  your  gun  pointed  at  a  pointing  dog — Walk  over 
a  pointing  dog— Shoot  on  your  friend's  side  of  the  bevy— Always 
make  the  hunt  a  competition— Take  all  single  shots— Invite  yourself 
to  go  hunting — How  to  test  your  friend's  gun 282 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Quails,  snipe,  ruffed  grouse  and  woodcock— The  best  bird  for  training 
purposes — Quail  shooting  in  the  South — The  best  months  for  shoot- 
ing -  Habits  of  quails — Advantage  of  training  in  the  South — Train- 
ing from  horseback— Hunting  horses — Woodcock  shooting — Its 
inferiority — Snipe  shooting — Its  variable  character — Habits  of  snipe 
— Training  dogs  on  snipe— Their  abundance  near  the  Gulf — Chicken 
shooting — Habitat — Extermination — Shooting  out  of  season — The 
multitude  of  chicken  shooters — No  late  shooting — Habits  of  chickens 
— Tamenessof  the  sport — Method  of  hunting — "  Marking  "  chickens 
— The  need  of  water  for  dogs — Feeding  and  caring  for  dogs — Dis- 
advantages of  chicken  shooting 293 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

The  training  of  spaniels — Spaniel  cannot  equal  the  setter — His  sphere 
of  usefulness,  cover  shooting — The  work  of  setters  and  spaniels 
compared — The  range  of  spaniels — Training  spaniels  a  simple  mat- 
ter as  compared  to  training  setters — Their  manner  of  work — A  bell 
useful — Giving  tongue  not  desirable — Retrieving — The  checkcord 
used  with  advantage — Teach  the  same  commands  taught  setters  and 
pointers— Few  sections  favorable  to  the  work  of  spaniels— Type.  306 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Guard  dogs — No  formal  training — The  education  by  companionship — 
St.  Bernards.  Mastiffs  and  Great  Danes— Intelligence  and  good 
temper  necessary— Vicious  dogs— Education  should  begin  from  pup- 
pyhood— Powers  of  discrimination— 111  effects  of  chaining— Ma- 
turity   3IO 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

The  training  of  foxhounds— Purity  of  blood  essential— Careful  training, 
as  applied  to  pointers  and  setters,  not  required— Dogs  for  bears, 
deer  and  gray  foxes— The  criterion  of  excellence— Desirable  quali- 


CONTENTS.  Xlll 

ties — Length  of  time  a  hound  should  be  capable  of  running — Giving 
tongue — Manner  in  which  a  pack  should  run — Manner  of  regaining 
a  lost  trail — Qualities  which  render  a  dog  worthless  for  running  in 
a  pack — "  Running  over" — Its  disadvantages — Number  of  dogs  in  a 
pack — Shooting  foxes  unsportsmanlike — Training — Starting  puppies 
— Age  for  training — Length  and  kind  of  lessons — Care  necessary  in 
first  experiences —  Rabbits,  wild  cats,  gray  foxes  and  red  foxes — 
How  to  manage  puppies — Advantages  of  broken  dogs— Obedience 
to  the  horn — 111  effects  of  whipping — Plenty  of  time  should  be 
given  in  training — Bad  effects  of  hunting  a  drag — 111  effects  of  hark- 
ing off  from  trails— Dogs  should  not  be  left  to  themselves — Manner 
of  training  for  deer  and  bears 313 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Guns — The  vast  trade  in  worthless  grades — Gun  for  general  shooting — 
For  upland  shooting — Cylinder  bores — Their  superiority  for  quail 
shooting — Disadvantages  of  a  choked  gun — Powder  and  shot  charges 
— The  1 6  gauge — Length  and  drop  of  stock— Fit  of  a  gun — Good 
cheap  guns — Their  price — "Balance"  of  guns — Guns  bored  for 
special  loads — Sizes  of  shot — Carriage  of  dogs  by  rail — Their  status 
in  railroad  management — 111  effects  of  long  journeys — Neglect  and 
its  consequences — How  to  feed  on  journeys — Advantages  of  crating 
— Dangers  when  on  chain — Gratuities  to  baggagemen — Their  trials 
with  dogs — Railroad  traffic  and  regulations — Dimensions  of  a  dog 
crate — Different  styles  of  crates — Faults  of  dogs — Killing  chickens 
and  sheep — How  cured 320 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


MARCHIONESS  PEG   (Frontispiece), 

CHAMPION   ELCHO,  JR.,     ....  24 

PEGJIM,  37 

R.ODERIGO, 45 

CHAMPION   PAUL  GLADSTONE,     -  -     50 

FIRST  LESSON  IN  RETRIEVING,       -                           -  138 
THE  FIRST   POINT,                                                   -         -     176 

AMERICAN  FOXHOUND, 315 

DOG  CRATES,         .--.--_  329 


INTRODUCTORY. 


The  general  improvement  in  expert  training,  in  this  coun- 
try, had  its  inception  with  the  inauguration  of  field  trials. 
There  were  a  few,  very  few,  expert  trainers  prior  to  that 
period,  but  they  had  a  limited  fame  and  their  methods  of 
training  were  known  only  to  themselves.  Each  trainer  af- 
fected to  have  some  particular  hobby  in  his  particular  system, 
which  he  claimed  to  be  superior  to  all  others,  although  as 
each  maintained  an  air  of  secrecy  in  his  methods  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  imagine  by  what  process  one  method  could  be  com- 
pared with  another.  Considering  training  as  an  art,  it  had 
very  little  claim  to  it  at  that  time.  Even  amongst  those 
who  professed  to  be  experts,  there  were  the  widest  differences 
of  opinion  in  respect  to  the  details  of  training,  and  the 
manner  in  which  a  dog  should  work  after  being  trained. 
However,  really  expert  trainers  were  so  few  that  they  were 
not  a  representative  body  of  the  average  trainers.  The  typ- 
ical trainer  usually  combined  training  with  market  shooting, 
and  as  the  prices  of  training  in  such  hands  varied  from  ten 
to  twenty-five  dollars,  the  education  of  the  dog  was  always 
subservient  to  the  success  of  the  gun,  the  latter  being  the 
most  profitable.  The  dog  was  never  required  to  do  much 
more  than  to  point  and,  with  less  certainty,  to  retrieve.  The 
success  of  the  typical  old-time  trainer  as  a  hunter  was 
usually  erroneously  accepted  as  conclusive  proof  of  his 
ability  as  a  trainer.  Each  section  had  one  or  more  of  such 
local  celebrities;  in  many  instances  he  was  illiterate,  a  loafer 
in  summer,  a  little  dissipated  periodically,  and  at  all  times 
had  every  indication  of  chronic,  incurable  seediness.  As  a 
class,  they  were  no  small  factor  in  bringing  the  dog  and 
gun  into  disrepute,  the  latter  two  being  unjustly  considered- 
the  cause  of  the  evil  instead  of  an  available  means  to  sus- 
(xvii) 


xvjjj  INTRODUCTORY. 

tain  it.  But  progress  and  a  high  grade  of  sportsmanship 
have  sounded  the  death  knell  of  the  old  order  of  things, 
and  dissipated  the  false  opinions  and  prejudices  of  society. 
The  first  field  trial  in  America  was  run  near  Memphis, 
Tenn.,  in  1874,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Tennessee  Sports- 
man's Association,  and  had  ten  starters.  For  four  or  five 
years  thereafter,  the  trials  grew  slowly;  but  gradually  their 
advantages  became  known  and  served  to  awaken  the  inter- 
est of  sportsmen.  The  inauguration  of  field  trials  brought 
the  expert  trainers  to  the  front,  and  the  competition  and 
ample  opportunities  for  comparison  of  methods  caused  gen- 
eral improvement.  The  importation  of  blue  bloods  from 
England  was  followed  by  the  keenest  of  competitions,  which 
resulted  in  the  permanent  supremacy  of  the  imported  dog 
over  the  native.  The  win  of  a  dog  in  a  public  competition 
gave  him  an  acknowledged  meritorious  reputation  and 
greatly  increased  his  monetary  value  and  that  of  his  related 
blood.  To  own  dogs  which  were  winners  or  had  the  super- 
iority of  a  winning  strain,  was  the  strong  desire  of  all  pro- 
gressive sportsmen.  The  spirit  of  rivalry  or  emulation 
which  competition  engendered  created  an  active  and  wide- 
spread demand  for  better  dogs.  This  in  turn  resulted  in  a 
large  number  of  breeders  to  supply  the  demand.  Many 
dogs  were  imported  in  addition  to  those  native  bred,  and  val- 
ues constantly  increased.  The  enlargement  in  the  dog  world 
served  to  permanently  engage  the  entire  time  and  attention 
of  a  class  of  expert  trainers  who  adopted  training  as  a  pro- 
fession, and  as  a  higher  grade  of  ability  was  required,  the 
typical  old-time  trainer  either  became  a  market  shooter 
pure  and  simple  or  was  lost  in  the  struggle  for  supremacy. 
It  required  several  years,  however,  for  the  expert  field  trial 
trainers  to  outgrow  the  prejudices  and  antipathies,  a  legacy 
inherited  from  their  predecessors. 

The   competition    settled   many  controversial   points   in 


INTRODUCTORY.  XIX 

training,  made  a  general  improvement  in  methods,  corrected 
many  erroneous  details,  and  established  more  uniformity  in 
systems,  although,  as  in  all  systems  brought  to  a  high  degree 
of  refinement  and  which  have  variable  intrinsic  elements, 
there  are  yet  a  few  unsettled  points. 

Dog  training  can  never  be  reduced  to  a  system  of  arbi- 
trary rules.  With  many  of  the  exact  sciences,  a  theoretical 
knowledge  may  be  exact  so  far  as  it  goes,  but  in  dog  train- 
ing there  is  always  an  unknown  and  variable  quantity  which 
governs  the  application  of  the  training,  namely,  the  disposi- 
tion and  intelligence  of  the  dog.  While  a  trainer  may  have 
an  extensive  theoretical  knowledge,  he  must  learn  how  to 
modify  or  extend  his  methods  by  actual  experience.  No 
science  of  training  can  supplant  experience;  they  are  mu- 
tually dependent.  No  two  dogs  have  precisely  the  same 
degree  of  intelligence  or  the  same  habits,  inclinations,  dis- 
position, etc.,  hence  a  certain  course  of  education  which 
might  be  eminently  successful  in  one  instance  might  be 
ruinous  in  another.  While  the  system  herein  taught  will 
serve  to  train  any  dog  which  is  capable  of  being  trained,  the 
success  depends  on  the  manner  of  applying  it.  The  ama- 
teur cannot  expend  too  much  pains  in  studying  dog  char- 
acter, and  thereto  he  must  gain  and  hold  the  affections  of 
his  dog,  otherwise  he  cannot  succeed. 

While  field  trials  developed  a  higher  grade  of  expert 
training,  experts  were  not  slow  to  learn  that  a  dog  too  well 
broken,  or  rather  one  thoroughly  broken  for  field  work,  was 
at  a  disadvantage  in  a  field  trial  competition.  One  that  was 
obedient  to  the  whistle  might  mind  all  notes  blown  by  either 
handler,  and  the  same  undesirable  results  with  signals.  The 
aim  was  to  get  a  dog  to  be  barely  obedient;  to  be  quick  in 
locating  and  pointing  his  birds;  to  back  so  long  as  his  com- 
petitor pointed,  but  not  an  instant  longer;  to  whip  in  quickly 
and  take  the  point  from  a  competitor  when  possible,  and  to 


XX  INTRODUCTORY. 

range  at  high  speed.  Although  they  are  a  very  uncertain 
test  of  a  dog's  real  merit,  trials  are  not  without  educational 
benefits  to  sportsmen.  However,  from  a  training  point  of 
view,  the  obedience  of  field  trial  dogs  is  not  the  standard  of 
a  thorough  education;  nor  is  the  training  of  such  dogs  a 
standard  of  the  real  abilities  of  the  trainers. 

This  treatise  is  after  the  modern  professional  system  of 
training.  It  combines  the  excellences  of  both  the  suasive 
and  force  systems  of  education,  and  contains  an  exhaustive 
description  of  the  uses  and  abuses  of  the  spike  collar.  The 
author,  by  way  of  showing  his  qualifications  for  preparing 
this  work,  would  say  that  he  was  a  professional  trainer,  field 
trial  handler  and  reporter  for  a  number  of  years,  and  several 
times  acted  in  the  capacity  of  judge.  Taken  thus  in  the 
aggregate,  his  experience  and  consequent  opportunities  to 
acquire  knowledge  from  personal  observation  and  practice 
have  been  second  to  none.  Although  written  from  a  profes- 
sional standpoint,  therefore  from  what  is  considered  the 
highest  refinement  of  the  art,  it  is  intended  for  the  use  of  the 
amateur  trainer  and  sportsmen  in  general.  While  the  prin- 
ciples are  frequently  repeated  in  their  many  different  rela- 
tions, it  is  none  too  clear  for  the  use  of  the  amateur;  and 
even  with  the  most  elaborate  explanation,  he  will  find  com- 
plications that  will  tax  his  judgment  to  overcome  suc- 
cessfully. 

Many  of  the  principles  and  positions  herein  treated  are 
more  or  less  opposed  to  the  recognized  authorities  of  a 
decade  ago,  but  the  reader  should  bear  in  mind  that  field 
sports  and  their  accessories  have  far  outgrown  the  scope  of 
the  old  authorities.  Their  beliefs  and  experiences  are  not 
our  beliefs  and  experiences.  Authorities,  one  after  another, 
have  to  retire  as  the  march  of  improvement  leaves  them  in 
the  rear,  the  perpetual  struggle  for  supremacy  making  no 
exceptions. 


MODERN  TRAINING 


AND 


HANDLING. 


MODERN  TRAINING. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    SETTER    AND    POINTER. 

The  setter  and  pointer,  so  far  as  they  have  a  history,  have 
always  held  a  high  place  in  the  appreciation  of  mankind  ; 
but  the  general  elevation  of  the  dog  to  the  high  grade  and 
full  appreciation  to  which  his  intelligence  and  worth  entitle 
him  may  be  said  to  have  occurred  in  this  country  within 
the  last  two  decades. 

It  is  within  the  memory  of  comparatively  young  men, 
particularly  in  the  East,  when  to  take  a  dog  and  gun  afield 
was  considered  as  being  an  uncanny  act  for  any  one  who 
had  gentlemanly  pretensions,  and  if  the  act  was  repeated  a 
few  times  a  lowering  of  social  and  financial  standing  ensued. 
Appreciation  of  the  dog  and  gun  was  considered  as  being  a 
depraved  taste,  which,  in  some  vague  manner,  led  to  whole 
groups  of  depravities,  and  the  man  whose  passion  for  sport 
afield  with  the  dog  and  gun  was  great,  and  whose  respect 
for  social  opinion  was  greater,  hied  covertly  to  the  fields  by 
early  dawn,  or  unfrequented  by-ways,  much  after  the  same 
manner  as  the  wicked  hunter  does  at  present  on  sacred  days. 
To  neglect  business  was  an  unpardonable  sin,  life  being  an 

21 


22  MODERN    TRAINING. 

endless  toil  to  store  wealth,  which  was  considered  the  object 
of  life,  not  to  make  life  nobler  and  more  enjoyable.  The 
renewed  vigor  of  body  and  mind;  the  broader  humanity; 
the  training  of  eye  and  nerve;  the  beauties  of  nature,  were 
all  considered  as  vagaries  ;  but  these  narrow  beliefs  have 
been  swept  away  by  general  progress  and  enlightenment, 
and  they  only  exist  as  shadows  of  the  past. 

It  is  strange  that  such  companionable  and  valuable  animals 
should  have  been  neglected  so  long  ;  stranger  still  that  hav- 
ing such  a  wide  and  even  distribution  they  should  be  so 
imperfectly  understood  by  mankind.  Every  intelligent  act 
was  commonly  ascribed  to  the  impulses  of  instinct,  and 
reason  was  not  considered  for  a  moment  as  being,  first  or 
last,  a  principle.  Oftentimes  men  who  could  not  solve  the 
common  material  problems  of  life  could,  without  the  slight- 
est hesitation,  mental  effort  or  previous  study,  decisively 
decide  intricate  psychological  problems  to  their  own  infinite 
satisfaction;  occasionally  a  bit  more  of  the  same  kind  of 
instinct  would  be  beneficial  if  it  had  a  wider  existence  in  the 
scale  of  animal  organisms. 

Three  distinct  breeds  of  setters  are  recognized  in  this 
country,  namely,  the  English  setter,  the  Irish  setter,  and 
the  Gordon  setter. 

The  latter,  as  compared  to  his  aboriginal  parents,  is  a 
Gordon  merely  in  name,  he  being  so  largely  mixed  with  out- 
crosses  on  other  breeds  that  the  alien  blood  predominates. 
However,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  many  years  ago  the 
Gordon  was  highly  prized  in  England  for  his  merit.  The 
breed  having  long  been  owned  by  the  Dukes  of  Gordon,  it 
thus  derived  its  name.  Since  the  institution  of  field  trials 
and  the  consequent  more  exacting  demands  of  sportsmen  in 
respect  to  working  capabilities,  the  Gordon,  so  called,  has 
constantly  met  with  disfavor  and  progressively  degenerated. 
Except  by  courtesy  the  miscellaneous  scrub  character  of  the 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  23 

breed  hardly  entitles  it  to  the  distinction  of  a  true  breed,  if 
race  type,  numbers,  pure  blood  and  power  of  reproduction 
true  to  race  characteristics  are  any  criteria  by  which  to 
determine  it.  So  much  is  it  degenerated  in  these  properties 
that  it  is  hardly  worthy  of  consideration. 

All  bench  show  associations  provide  competitive  classes 
for  black  and  tan  setters,  which,  nominally,  are  for  Gordon 
setters,  black  and  tan  being  their  prevailing  color  ;  but  such 
classification,  being  merely  a  distinction  with  respect  to 
color,  admits  any  other  breeds  of  setters,  or  cross-bred  set- 
ters, if  they  have  the  required  color  qualification  ;  indeed, 
dogs  of  nearly  pure  English  setter  blood  have  won  in  black 
and  tan  classes  at  prominent  shows  within  a  not  very  remote 
period ;  thus  the  dog  at  first  lost  distinctive  Gordon  char- 
acter, and  at  last  ceased  to  have  any  fixed  desirable  char- 
acter. At  present,  there  are  only  isolated  specimens  owned 
here  and  there.  The  existing  coarse,  scrubby,  inferior  dogs, 
having  mixed  pedigrees,  or  pedigrees  containing  a  few  com- 
mon, abstract  proper  names,  or,  as  commonly  occurs,  hav- 
ing no  known  pedigrees,  are  not  imputable  to  the  existing 
bench  show  classification  ;  on  the  contrary,  the  classifica- 
tion is  consequential  to  the  dog's  unimportance.  Bench 
show  associations  are  not  legislators  as  to  the  classification 
of  breeds  ;  they  accept  facts  as  they  find  them. 

While  there  is  a  variable  ideal  type,  there  is  the  greatest 
irregularity  and  diversity  of  undesirable  individual  forms, 
the  coarse,  loose,  unsymmetrical  form  being  very  common. 
The  average  winner  in  a  black  and  tan  setter  class,  classes 
by  the  way  which  are  always  numerically  light,  would  not 
be  considered  worthy  of  notice  in  an  Irish  or  English  setter 
class.  There  are  two  or  three  dogs  which  have  been  shown, 
within  the  past  few  seasons,  as  superior  specimens  of  the 
breed,  presumably  as  it  existed  at  sometime  in. the  past,  but 
no  new  specimens  are  brought  forward  to  succeed  them. 


24  MODERN    TRAINING. 

The  typical  Gordon  was  heavily  built,  and,  whatever  sym- 
metry of  form  may  have  been  possessed  by  the  parent  stock, 
the  inherent  faultiness  of  a  heavy  type  has  resulted  in  coarse- 
ness and  clumsiness.  Some  fanciers  approve  of  the  heavy 
type  because  it  is  a  Gordon  type,  whereas  the  fact  of  such 
undesirable  type  is  sufficient  to  condemn  it,  it  being  wholly 
inadequate  for  fast,  prolonged  work.  It  is  strange  that, 
considering  its  unfitness  for  working  dogs,  this  type  should 
be  cultivated  and  perpetuated. 

The  public  performances  of  the  very  few  which  have  com- 
peted in  the  public  trials,  and  the  general  reputation  of  the 
breed  for  inefficiency,  are  not  such  as  to  exalt  it  in  the  good 
opinion  of  sportsmen  at  large.  There  is  a  desultory  attempt 
being  made  to  establish  a  Gordon  setter  standard  which  will 
call  for  a  lighter  and  more  racily  built  dog,  but  this  con- 
templated improvement  is  largely  in  the  abstract,  there 
being  an  undue  proportion  of  good  intention  to  imaginary 
performance  ;  yet  these  spasmodic,  vague,  gentle  attempts 
constitute  the  most  tangible  form  of  existence  of  the  Gor- 
don setter.  A  standard  could  not  benefit  the  prevailing 
poverty  of  material  naturally  resulting  from  neglect, 
apathy  of  ownership,  natural  inferiority,  smallness  of  num- 
bers, formidable  competition  from  more  powerful  breeds, 
and  disfavor  of  sportsmen.  In  field  sports  the  Gordon 
setter  is  a  dim,  fading  landmark  in  the  march  of  progress. 

The  Irish  setter,  as  a  breed,  is  not  surpassed,  if  equaled 
by  any  other  breed  in  uniformity  of  type  and  other  race 
characteristics.  The  individuals  of  it  have  high  average 
merit;  and  the  more  perfect  specimens,  of  which  there  are 
many,  possess  a  wonderful  degree  of  elegance  and  sym- 
metry of  form.  They  are  a  deep,  solid,  blood-red  in  color, 
except  a  slight  blaze  of  white  on  the  chest  or  toes,  which  is 
usually  present.  There  are  occasional  specimens  of  pure 
breeding  which  have  more  or  less  white  markings;  but  the 


BREAKING    AND     HANDLING.  2; 

white,  if  more  than  on  the  breast  and  toes,  is  considered 
undesirable,  and  is  nearly  all  bred  out,  considering  the 
breed  as  a  whole.  From  time  immemorial,  it  has  been 
highly  prized  and  guarded  with  care,  hence  it  is  a  very  pure 
breed.  To  preserve  the  purity  of  color  and  other  charac- 
teristics, the  best  breeders  judiciously  avoid  out-crosses  on 
other  breeds. 

While  the  breed  is  not  well  represented  at  the  field  trials, 
and  frequently  not  at  all,  it  has  many  staunch  admirers,  and 
a  powerful  conservative  support.  The  small  representation 
in  public  field  competitions  naturally  detracted  from  ex- 
tensive records;  nevertheless,  it  demonstrated  its  claim  to 
recognition  as  possessing  workers  of  a  high  order,  and  a 
percentage  of  those  which  ran  were  winners.  It  would,  in 
any  event,  be  impossible  to  compete  on  equal  terms,  the 
many  owners  of  English  setters,  who  are  field  trial  sup- 
porters, being  relatively,  overwhelming  in  numbers.  No 
organized,  vigorous  effort  has  been  made  to  bring  them  into 
regular  public  competition,  although,  as  aforementioned, 
they  have  an  extensive,  powerful  ownership,  and  a  good  rec- 
ord. Undoubtedly  the  breed  would  be  greatly  improved  by 
representation  in  the  general  competitions,  or  if  trials  were 
inaugurated  specially  for  it.  The  consequent  general  knowl- 
edge respecting  the  best  individuals  would  result  in  greater 
precision  in  breeding  a  uniformly  higher  grade  of  field  dogs, 
inasmuch  as  the  best  specimens  could  be  selected.  Subor- 
dinate causes,  such  as  the  indifference  to  public  trials  by  the 
owners  of  one  breed,  may  contribute  largely  to  the  ascend- 
ancy of  other  breeds  in  public  estimation,  failure  to  compete 
being  unjustly  considered  as  equivalent  to  real  defeat.  This 
assumption  might  be  reasonable  if  dogs  were  kept  strictly 
for  racing  purposes,  but  the  larger  part  of  sportsmen  value 
them  for  private  shooting. 

That  this  setter  has  high  working  qualities  is  manifested 


2g  MODERN    TRAINING. 

by  the  large  number  of  practical  sportsmen  who  keep  them 
for  field  work. 

At  all  the  important  bench  shows  the  Irish  setters  com- 
pete in  large  numbers.  Their  evenness  of  type,  rich  coloring, 
fine  symmetry  and  graceful,  spirited  carriage  always  evoke 
the  highest  admiration. 

Champion  Elcho,  Jr.  (Elcho— Noreen),  whose  portrait  is 
elsewhere  given,  is  universally  recognized  as  a  dog  of  ex- 
quisite symmetry  of  form,  and  refinement  of  race  charac- 
teristics united  with  substantial  physical  development ; 
qualities  which  must  be  possessed  in  a  high  degree  to  gain 
pre-eminence  over  his  race.  He  was  born  June  i,  1881,  is 
owned  and  was  bred  by  Dr.  William  Jarvis  of  Claremont, 
N.  H.,  a  gentleman  who  has  spared  no  effort  to  secure  the 
choicest  blood;  and  the  results,  as  shown  by  his  breeding 
large  numbers  of  dogs  of  uniform  excellence  for  several 
years  past,  distinguish  him  as  an  eminent  and  skillful 
breeder.  Elcho,  Jr.  has  won  championship  honors  in  nearly 
every  city  in  this  country  in  which  bench  shows  have  been 
held;  and  his  work  in  the  Eastern  Field  Trials  received 
very  complimentary  notice  by  the  sporting  press.  He  has 
the  reputation  of  being  an  excellent  field  dog.  Taken  all 
in  all,  he  has  a  wonderful  combination  of  beauty  and  merit. 

The  English  setter,  considered  as  a  field  dog,  is  the 
superior  of  all  others  as  shown  by  the  records  of  public 
competitions,  extensive  ownership,  common  reputation  and 
the  opinion  of  authorities.  The  enormous  numbers  of  the 
breed  and  common  distribution  are  prime  factors  in  main- 
taining its  ascendancy,  aside  from  questions  relating  to  com- 
petive  superiority. 

from  its  wide  distribution,  general  popularity  and  financial 
value,  an  innumerable  multitude  of  small  breeders,  fre- 
quently inexperienced,  who  breed  wholly  or  partly  for  profit, 
which  militates  against  uniform  improvement  in  the  breed, 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  29 

are  common.  These  adverse  conditions  are  more  fully  de- 
lineated in  the  chapter  on  Breeding. 

However,  the  more  eminent  and  skillful  breeders  produce 
dogs  of  rare  excellence,  dogs  which  have  no  superiors.  By 
the  reputation  of  a  few  breeders,  the  reputation  of  the 
breed,  as  a  whole,  is  maintained  at  a  high  standard,  the 
worthless  strains,  unfortunately,  profiting  by  it;  for  if  the 
owners  of  the  worthless  strains  can  trace  any  relationship, 
near  or  remote,  to  eminent  individuals,  they  never  fail  to 
claim  the  merit  of  reflected  luster. 

Taking  the  better  bred  families  now  into  consideration, 
they  undoubtedly  are  marvels  of  combined  beauty  of  form 
and  working  capability.  Dashing,  agile,  fast  and  enduring, 
quick  and  accurate  in  execution,  they  are  the  racers  of  the 
hunting  field. 

By  referring  to  the  portraits,  the  exquisite  symmetry  and 
characteristics  of  the  breed  will  be  noted.  The  artist  has 
caught  the  expression  and  individual  peculiarities  with  ad- 
mirable fidelity,  and  the  portraiture  is  truthful. 

Marchioness  Peg,  whose  portrait  is  given  in  the  frontis- 
piece, was  bred  and  is  owned  by  Dr.  N.  Rowe  of  the  American 
Field,  Chicago.  She  is  handsomely  marked  black,  white, 
and  tan,  and  is  by  Druid  (Prince — Dora)  out  of  Peg  (Leices- 
ter—Dart). She  is  very  symmetrical  and  handsome,  rating 
with  the  high  class  bitches  of  America.  In  the  trials  of  the 
National  American  Kennel  Club,  run  at  Patoka,  1879,  she 
divided  second  and  third  with  Countess  May.  Pegjim, 
whose  portrait  is  also  given,  is  a  son  of  Marchioness  Peg 
by  Cambridge,  he  by  Gladstone  out  of  Clip.  He  is  magnifi- 
cently proportioned,  having  a  clean  cut,  typical  head,  lean 
neck,  well  shaped  body,  nicely  shaped  legs  and  feet,  and 
fine  general  symmetry.  He  is  a  high  class  dog  in  the  field. 
This  breeding  has  produced  some  remarkably  superior 
dogs,  notably  Jean  Val  Jean,  winner  of  the  champion  stakes 


.jo  MODERN    TRAINING. 

at  the  Eastern  Field  Trials  Club's  Trials,  1888.  He  also 
was  bred  by  Dr.  Rowe,  and  is  by  Mingo  out  of  Twin  Maud, 
she  by  Gladstone  out  of  Clip  ;  Mingo  by  Druid  out  of  Star, 
thus  forming  the  celebrated  half  and  half  breeding  of  Peg- 
jim,  Pegbid,  Pegfly,  Peg  III,  and  Pegmatite,  the  lines  of 
blood  being  the  same  through  Marchioness  Peg  and  Mingo 
on  the  one  side,  and  Twin  Maud  and  Cambridge  on  the 
other. 

Champion  Paul  Gladstone  is  owned  by  Mr.  S.  L.  Boggs 
of  Pittsburgh,  Pa.  The  portrait  of  Paul  Gladstone  shows 
him  to  be  a  dog  of  great  symmetry  and  beauty.  He  has  an 
enviable  reputation,  and  has  taken  several  special  prizes  for 
the  best  combined  field  trial  and  bench  show  record.  He 
has  also  a  long  list  of  champion  bench  show  winnings,  and 
is  noted  as  an  eminent  sire,  and  a  dog  of  brilliant  field 
merit. 

Roderigo,  owned  by  the  Memphis  and  Avent  Kennels,  is 
by  Count  Noble — Twin  Maud,  and  is  well  known  to  the 
sportsmen  of  America  as  combining  the  perfections  of 
proved  working  powers,  beauty  and  power  of  physical 
structure,  and  a  successful  stock-getter.  He  is  a  field  trial 
winner,  and  holds  a  high  place  in  the  opinion  of  sportsmen 
as  a  performer  of  the  highest  capabilities. 

Enough  illustrations  are  given  to  show  the  higher  types 
of  .the  English  setter,  of  the  most  popular  lines  of  blood. 

The  prevailing  color  of  the  English  setter  is  black  and 
white,  or  black,  white  and  tan;  if  the  black  and  white  ticked 
is  approximately  even,  with  or  without  a  few  black  splashes, 
it  is  called  blue  belton;  orange  and  white  ticked,  orange 
belton;  lemon  and  white  ticked,  lemon  belton.  There  are 
several  other  colors— solid  black,  liver,  liver  and  white, 
white,  roan;  and  these  colors  may  be  in  different  shades. 

The  pointer  has  been  greatly  improved  within  the  past 
few  years,  field  competition,  energetic  ownership  and  better 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  31 

breeding  with  respect  to  field  form,  being  the  prime  causes 
of  his  advancement.  The  quick,  snappy  work  of  setters 
when  on  game,  was  always  an  insurmountable  obstacle 
to  the  average  pointer  in  competition  with  them;  but  the 
pointers  have  greatly  improved  in  their  execution,  and  un- 
doubtedly in  time,  if  bred  by  selecting  the  best  working 
dogs,  they  will  be  able  to  compete  on  an  equal  footing  with 
the  setters.  Some  field  trial  associations  have  special  stakes 
for  pointers,  which  is  a  wise  measure  until  such  times  as  the 
pointers  are  bred  in  sufficient  numbers  to  place  them  on  an 
approximate  equality. 

However,  decided  improvement  seems  to  be  confined  to 
individuals  here  and  there  and  not  to  the  breed  as  a  whole. 
Taking  into  consideration  the  pointer's  faultiness  in  becom- 
ing "stale"  if  overworked,  that  is,  to  become  indifferent  to 
hunting,  and  slow  and  pottering  in  his  manner,  and  the  long 
rest  required  to  renew  his  ardor,  also  the  loss  of  dash,  pace 
and  range  nearly  always  exhibited  after  the  third  or  fourth 
year,  it  is  an  open  question  whether  the  nature  of  the  dog 
can  be  changed  by  the  most  careful  selection  to  even  equal 
the  setters  in  working  powers. 

Having  thus  briefly  considered  the  dog  in  particular,  we 
will  next  discursively  consider  a  few  collateral  topics. 

The  origin  of  the  setter  has  greatly  exercised  the  specu- 
lative faculties  of  many  writers,  and,  finally,  in  most 
instances,  they  have  comfortably  settled  on  the  theory  that 
the  setter  is  a  variation  from  spaniel  stock.  There  is  no 
very  good  reason  for  this  theory  except  that  it  has  the  least 
absurdity  of  the  conjectures  advanced.  As  to  the  proof 
adduced,  there  is  none  of  the  origin  of  the  setter  in  a  span- 
iel ancestry  other  than  the  vaguest  tradition  and  conjecture, 
the  latter  being  the  chief  support.  It  would  be  quite  as 
reasonable,  and  quite  as  difficult  to  prove,  that  the  spaniel 
is  a  variety  of  the  setter.  They  both  have  certain  analogies 

3 


32  MODERN    TRAINING. 

in  form  and  habits  ;  but,  since  there  are  analogous  habits, 
instincts  and  peculiarities  of  physical  structure  more  or 
less  common  to  all  dogs,  they  prove  nothing  in  the  absence 
of  all  direct  evidence.  So  far  as  there  is  any  trace  of  the 
setter  in  the  past,  it  was  then  as  truly  a  distinct  species  as  it 
is  at  present,  reproducing  itself  with  its  peculiar  race  char- 
acteristics, and  showing  no  more  tendency  to  variation  from 
race  forms  or  instincts  than  that  common  in  any  of  the  fixed 
breeds  ;  for,  in  the  oldest  of  pure  breeds,  no  two  individuals 
are  precisely  alike.  Much  stress  has  been  laid  on  the  fact 
that  in  ancient  writings  they  were  called  a  "setting  spaniel," 
which  is  no  direct  proof  of  accuracy,  as  the  term  has  not 
been  proven  to  be  general  or  correct  in  its  application.  It 
is  more  than  probable  that  the  term  was  used  to  distinguish 
the  setter  as  a  breed  from  the  spaniel  as  a  breed,  which  he 
in  some  respects  resembles,  or  vice  versa;  this  being  still 
more  probable  from  the  then  scanty,  inaccurate  nomencla- 
ture, careless  observation,  isolated  ownership,  and  conse- 
quent lack  of  knowledge  respecting  them.  Even  in  our 
own  enlightened  age,  when  knowledge  is  supposed  to  have 
some  precision,  the  setter,  as  defined  by  Webster,  is  as  fol- 
lows :  "  A  sporting  dog  of  the  hound  kind  that  indicates, 
by  sitting  or  crouching,  the  place  where  game  lies  hid. 
It  partakes  of  the  character  of  the  pointer  and  the  spaniel, 
and  is  generally  regarded  as  having  descended  from  the 
crossing  of  these  two  varieties."  When  the  present  at  some 
period  in  the  far  future  shall  be  the  ancient  past,  and  many 
existing  facts  and  fancies  shall  weigh  alike  as  vague  hear- 
say ;  when  the  present  form  of  the  dog  will  have  undergone 
great  improving  changes,  and  when  the  learned  savant  then 
is  speculating  on  the  aboriginal  stock  of  the  setter,  he  will 
learnedly  point  to  that  definition  as  decisive  proof,  and  will 
tell  the  lesser  savants  that  the  definition  was  in  Webster's 
Unabridged,  the  recognized  official  authority  of  the  ancients; 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  33 

therefore  the  setter  will  then  be  a  hound,  the  product  of  a 
cross  between  a  pointer  hound  and  spaniel  hound,  and  the 
speculation  would  be  as  reasonable  as  any  which  are 
advanced,  at  present,  as  to  the  origin. 

If  the  setter  had  a  spaniel  origin,  there  would  be  some 
evidences  of  it  in  the  well  known  tendency  of  all  animals  to 
revert,  at  times,  to  ancestral  types  ;  yet  in  all  cases  of  rever- 
sion in  pure  blooded  setters,  it  is  to  the  pure  setter  form. 
It  may  be  said  that  the  breed  has  been  kept  pure  so  long 
that  the  characteristics  have  become  permanently  fixed  ; 
that  the  origin  is  so  far  in  the  past  that  the  tendency  to 
reversion  is  lost ;  however,  such  is  taking  too  much  for 
granted  as  a  negative  argument ;  if  it  is  that  far  in  the  past, 
we  can  know  nothing  of  the  origin.  A  breed  is  not  so  easily 
and  distinctly  established.  Some  intermediate  gradation 
of  forms  would  be  preserved,  showing  a  regular  series, 
either  continuous  or  broken,  from  the  parent  stock  to  the 
setter.  It  is  hardly  reasonable  to  assume  the  total  destruc- 
tion of  all  the  intermediate  groups  and  gradations,  leaving 
the  two  breeds  distinct  without  any  sub-breeds  showing 
unmistakable  relationship  to  both. 

It  is  well  known  that  by  selection  of  the  best  specimens 
in  breeding,  the  forms  of  animals  can  be  improved  and 
changed  more  and  more  from  generation  to  generation  in 
accordance  with  the  purposes  of  the  breeder,  as  seen  in  the 
forms  of  horses  for  speed  and  draft,  and  in  the  forms  of 
other  domestic  breeds  ;  yet  this  susceptibility  to  change 
under  certain  conditions  is  confined  chiefly  to  the  physical 
forms,  the  effects  of  change  being  imperceptible  in  the 
habits  and  instincts  of  improved  and  unimproved  horses,  or 
other  domestic  animals.  To  maintain  an  improved  breed 
up  to  the  required  standard  of  excellence,  continued  selec- 
tion of  the  superior  animals  is  necessary  to  breed  from,  else 
they  by  promiscuous  breeding  revert  to  the  common  forms. 


~.  MODERN    TRAINING. 

If  the  spaniel  had  thrown  off  a  variety,  as  it  must  have  done 
to  originate  the  setter  (otherwise  no  change  could  have  been 
effected),  whether  it  was  done  little  by  little  or  at  once, 
there  is  every  probability  that  it  would  have  been  lost  in  the 
first  generation  or  two,  (i)  from  intercrossing  with  the  pure 
parent  type,  (2)  from  the  natural  tendency  to  revert  to 
ancestral  prototypes,  and  (3)  from  the  probability  that  the 
variation  would  not  be  cultivated  and  preserved.  This  may 
very  well  be  conjectured  ;  for  if  a  family  of  setters  at  the 
present  day  showed  a  constant  tendency  to  vary  their  forms 
and  instincts  with  each  succeeding  generation  till  they 
became  a  distinct  breed,  the  owner  would  condemn  the  pro- 
geny as  being  mongrel,  inasmuch  as  it  could  not  reproduce 
itself  purely.  Moreover,  if  the  setter  is  a  variety  of 
improved  spaniel,  therefore  a  variety  of  spaniel,  it  and  the 
parent  stock  would  still  have  an  inherent  tendency  to  vary 
or  throw  off  numerous  varieties,  for  there  is  no  probability 
that  a  variety  would  uniformly  improve  and  breed  with  all 
the  characteristic  modifications,  habits  and  instincts  up  to  a 
certain  degree  useful  to  man,  neither  reverting  to  ancestral 
forms  when  neglected,  nor  varying  into  other  forms  when 
reproducing  itself  under  constantly  varying  conditions  of 
climate,  selection,  food  supply,  etc.,  and  then  become  per- 
manently fixed  ;  but  admitting  the  change  in  form,  it  is 
hardly  supposable  that  it  would  be  associated  with  changed 
instincts  correspondingly  useful  to  man,  it  having  already 
been  noted  that  changes  of  form  are  not  accompanied  by 
any  perceptible  changes  in  instinct,  much  less  changes  uni- 
formly and  relatively  useful  to  man. 

Setters  and  pointers  have  a  great  many  characteristics  in 
common;  their  hunting  instincts  and  modes  of  pursuing 
their  prey  are  the  same  in  the  general  features,  and  there  is 
a  close  analogy  in  race  type  and  habits,  the  chief  distinctive 
characteristic  being  the  coat.  If  a  typical  setter  is  clipped 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  37 

evenly  and  closely,  there  is  an  astonishingly  close  resem- 
blance to  a  pointer,  and  many  supposed  distinctive  charac- 
teristics are  then  clearly  attributable  to  the  difference  in 
coat;  however,  there  are  some  minor  differences  of  physical 
structure  and  instincts  which,  while  common  to  both  breeds, 
vary  in  intensity  in  them.  We  will  consider  these  pecu- 
liarities in  a  general  way,  for  no  hard  and  fast  rule  can  be 
laid  down  in  respect  to  relative  peculiarities  but  what  will 
have  many  exceptions,  neither  breed  possessing  a  uniform 
fixedness  of  type  or  characteristics  that  admits  of  positive 
class  comparison,  barring  the  difference  in  coat. 

The  instinct  to  point  appears  at  an  earlier  age  in  the 
pointer  than  in  the  setter,  is  more  intense,  and  more  uni- 
formly present  in  the  same  degree  of  intensity  in  each 
individual;  hence,  there  is  not  the  same  labor  in  perfecting 
them  to  work  to  the  gun  as  there  is  with  the  setter;  how- 
ever, a  few  pointers,  and,  in  a  lesser  number  of  instances, 
some  setters,  have  the  pointing  instinct  more  strongly  pres- 
ent than  is  necessary  or  desirable,  since  they  will  point  on 
scents  other  than  that  of  game,  particularly  when  fatigued, 
and  are  content  to  back  in  place  of  pointing  when  working 
with  another  dog.  This  abnormal  development  of  the 
instinct  is  rarely  present  in  dogs  which  are  properly  bred. 
Setters  as  a  class  exhibit  the  instinct  in  a  more  irregular 
manner  both  with  respect  to  the  age  when  it  appears  and 
the  intensity  of  it,  although  it  is,  in  the  greater  number  of 
instances,  sufficient  for  the  purposes  of  the  hunter. 

Certain  particular  points  of  superiority  are  claimed  res- 
pectively for  each  breed  by  its  admirers;  but  many  of  them 
have  but  a  slight  foundation  in  fact,  while  others  are  wholly 
fanciful.  It  is  claimed  that  the  pointer,  owing  to  the  short- 
ness of  his  coat,  can  endure  extreme  heat  with  less  distress 
and  requires  less  water,  and  less  frequently  than  the  setter. 
After  an  extensive  experience  with  setters  and  pointers, 


-g  MODERN    TRAINING. 

several  years  in  succession,  on  the  prairies  chicken  shooting, 
and  on  the  quail  grounds  of  the  South,  the  experience  com- 
prehending vast  tracts  of  territory,  large  numbers  of  dogs 
and  all  kinds  of  weather,  the  fact  was  noted  that  in  exces- 
sively hot  weather  neither  dog  can  perform  well  nor  do 
without  water  more  noticeably  than  the  other.  When  dogs 
of  either  breed  work  under  a  hot  sun,  they  require  water 
plentifully,  the  differences  in  this  respect  being  individual, 
and  quite  as  distinct  between  individuals  of  the  same 
breed  as  between  individuals  of  the  two  breeds  There  is 
a  difference  observable  in  the  two  breeds  as  they  first  start 
into  work  in  the  season.  When  they  are  not  in  working 
condition,  they  suffer  great  distress  while  being  abruptly 
hardened  to  the  work  in  hot  weather;  but  the  pointer  under 
like  condition  of  work  will  get  into  working  condition  sooner 
and  will  have  a  slight  advantage  for  a  few  days;  yet  this  is 
subject  to  many  exceptions.  After  the  setter  gets  thor- 
oughly hardened,  he  requires  water  no  oftener  than  the 
pointer;  nevertheless,  both  require  it.  Individual  dogs  of 
the  most  wonderful  powers  of  endurance  will  be  met  with 
in  each  breed;  ones  which  can  run  under  a  scorching  sun 
with  no  visible  distress,  and  require  but  a  few  laps  of  water 
occasionally.  Others  require  a  great  deal  of  water,  and 
appear  to  be  constitutionally  incapable  of  becoming  accus- 
tomed to  the  heat,  although  they  may  work  commendably 
well  in  a  lower  temperature. 

An  experience  during  one  season,  with  one  lot  of  dogs 
consisting  of  pointers  and  setters,  from  the  peculiarities  of 
the  individuals,  might  lead  the  sportsman  to  believe  that 
either  the  setter  or  pointer  was  the  more  enduring,  accord- 
ingly as  he  observed  the  superiority  in  one  or  the  other; 
but  a  single  experience  or  a  few  experiences  with  a  few 
individuals  of  each  breed  are  not  sufficient  data  for  a  definite 
conclusion.  Men  of  large  experiences  usually  agree  on  the 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  39 

main  points;  men  of  brief  experiences  always  differ.  Large 
numbers  must  have  been  seen  under  variable  conditions 
through  long  periods  of  time;  then  the  most  diligent  obser- 
vation and  unprejudiced  judgment  are  necessary  to  arrive 
at  a  just  conclusion.  If  the  sportsman  is  absorbed  in  look- 
ing for  excellences  in  his  favorite  breed,  and  for  faults  in 
others,  he  will  be  certain  to  retain  his  opinion  unaltered,  be 
the  work  what  it  may.  It  is  no  uncommon  occurrence  for 
a  sportsman  to  believe  that  his  dog  is  the  superior  worker 
in  a  hot  competition  when  it  is  palpably  evident  to  disinter- 
ested spectators  that  he  is  not  above  ordinary.  Simple  as 
it  may  seem  to  learn  field  work,  it  requires  several  years  of 
extensive  experience  to  be  able  to  estimate  the  relative 
merits  of  dogs  without  prejudice;  and  many  sportsmen 
never  outgrow  their  favorite  fancies,  be  they  right  or  wrong. 
Considering  the  two  breeds  as  a  class,  the  setter  is  much 
more  dashing,  quicker  and  enduring  in  his  work,  and 
speedier  and  wider  in  his  range;  and  on  birds  his  execution 
is  much  more  rapid.  A  few  individual  pointers,  at  the  re- 
cent field  trials,  have  shown  great  improvement  in  this 
respect,  yet  the  improvement  can  hardly  be  claimed  for  the 
breed  at  large.  The  pointer,  however,  is  more  easily  trained 
and  retains  his  training  of  the  first  season  better;  but  he 
has  one  specially  inferior  property,  namely,  if  overworked, 
which  may  be  done  in  a  few  days  or  weeks  according  to  the 
constitution  or  condition  of  the  dog,  he  loses  interest  in  his 
work,  shortens  his  gait,  contracts  his  range  to  an  area  of  a 
few  yards,  and  subsides  to  mediocrity.  If  his  work  is  then 
continued,  the  evils  are  serious.  It  requires  weeks  and  some- 
times months  to  rest  him  sufficiently  so  that  he  will  work 
with  keenness  up  to  his  best  form.  This  vapid  state  may  be 
produced  by  starting  the  dog  abruptly  into  hard  work  in- 
stead of  conditioning  him  gradually  for  it,  or  by  excessive 
overwork  when  he  is  in  condition.  Except  in  rare  instances, 


40  MODERN    TRAINING. 

the  pointer  begins  to  lose  his  dash  and  range  after  the  third 
or  fourth  year,  and  as  a  matter  of  course,  loses  correspond- 
ingly in  hunting  qualities.  The  breed,  however,  is  under- 
going rapid  improvement,  and  without  doubt  these  objec- 
tionable qualities  will  be  bred  out  in  the  near  future.  The 
improvement  embraces  the  form;  and  by  the  establishment 
of  more  correct  racing  lines  in  the  physical  structure,  and 
more  will-power  in  his  mental  qualities,  an  animal  of  more 
endurance  and  dashing  capabilities  will  be  produced. 

Setters,  when  thoroughly  fatigued  and  worked  down, 
even  if  overworked  for  weeks,  simply  need  resting  a  suffi- 
cient length  of  time  to  recuperate,  and  they  will  then  resume 
work  with  unabated  ardor.  They  rarely  lose  their  speed  or 
vim  except  from  accident,  old  age,  or  excessive  breeding, 
the  latter  cause  having  a  positive  reducing  effect  on  the 
working  capacities  of  either  setter  or  pointer,  even  if  the 
use  exists  within  a  short  period. 

In  both  breeds  the  adverse  conditions  of  life  to  which 
they  are  often  subjected  may  have  an  injurious  effect  on 
their  working  powers.  The  food,  kenneling  and  general 
care  given,  good  or  ill,  may  affect  the  dog  accordingly. 

In  thick  cover,  heavy  grass  or  briers,  the  setter  has  a 
decided  physical  advantage  over  the  pointer,  his  longer  coat 
serving  as  a  protection  ;  he  can  also  endure  cold  and  wet 
better  than  the  pointer.  Individual  pointers  will  frequently 
take  the  most  punishing  cover  quite  as  well  as  the  best  setters, 
yet  it  is  demanding  too  much  of  them  even  if  they  have  the 
courage,  for,  from  the  scratching  and  tearing  suffered,  they 
receive  much  .punishment ;  thus,  while  they  may  have  the 
courage  they  have  not  the  requisite  capabilities  ;  however, 
in  cockle-burrs,  Spanish  needles,  beggar  lice,  etc.,  the  pointer, 
from  his  short  coat,  suffers  no  particular  inconvenience, 
while  they  cause  the  setter  constant  annoyance  and  distress, 
the  cockle-burrs  particularly.  They  get  under  his  armpits, 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  41 

inside  of  his  thighs,  his  flanks  and  under  his  feet,  the  pain 
forcing  him  to  stop  and  pick  them  out  with  his  teeth. 
Plucky  setters  will  run  regardless  of  them,  but  they  chafe 
and  gouge  the  skin  into  sores  in  the  afflicted  parts.  This 
may  be  corrected  by  clipping  the  hair  off,  then  the  setter  is 
on  the  same  equality  in  this  respect  with  the  pointer.  Or 
the  difficulty  may  be  overcome  by  trimming  the  hair  closely 
about  the  armpits  and  inside  the  thighs,  thus  keeping  the 
action  free. 

Neither  setter  nor  pointer  is  fitted  for  retrieving  from 
water  in  cold  weather.  Both  suffer  seriously  from  the 
exposure  if  long  continued. 

Some  dogs  are  very  intelligent,  precocious,  and  pleasingly 
submissive  ;  such  may  train  easily,  but  the  special  aptitude 
shown  in  the  beginning  is  no  indication  whatever  that  no 
training  is  necessary,  although  they  may  require  less  of  it 
and  apply  it  more  quickly.  Those  which  are  born  with  a 
full  knowledge  of  retrieving,  a  knowledge  of  a  gun  and  its 
uses,  a  comprehension  of  orders,  signals  and  field  work,  are 
never  discovered  by  experts.  Limited  knowledge  always 
encounters  the  marvelous.  There  are  no  dogs  or  families 
of  dogs  which  inherit  their  training. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  it  is  desirable  to  have  a  dog  as 
well-bred,  symmetrical  and  graceful  as  possible,  such  being 
a  source  of  constant  pleasure  and  an  ornament  to  a  home. 
His  value  is  greatly  enhanced  if  he  is  a  good  worker,  not  so 
much  with  respect  to  his  increased  monetary  value  as  to  the 
superiority  of  the  sport  afforded  by  his  superior  capabilities 
afield  ;  successful  days — days  of  pleasant  reminiscences — 
are  largely  due  to  a  good  dog's  efforts.  A  well  bred  dog 
does  not  necessarily  imply  a  weakly  one.  The  well  bred 
one  should  not  be  confounded  with  the  poorly  bred.  The 
constitution  and  intelligence  of  the  setter  and  pointer  are  of 
paramount  importance ;  without  these  the  value  of  the 


42  MODERN    TRAINING. 

breeding  is  purely  fictitious,  either  for  work  or  breeding. 
An  energetic  disposition  is  also  an  important  factor.  Many 
dogs  have  fine  symmetry,  strength  of  form  and  perfect  con- 
stitution, but  have  not  the  will  power  to  work,  or  are  consti- 
tutionally lazy.  On  the  other  hand,  badly  constructed  dogs, 
from  courage  and  determination,  will  work  well  when  lame, 
footsore  and  fatigued,  stopping  work  only  when  the  hunt 
ends,  or  when  physically  incapable.  Sometimes  the  light, 
lathy  dog,  apparently  too  fragile  to  run  an  hour  without  dis- 
tress, will  run  day  after  day  with  undiminished  powers  and 
unabated  ardor.  Even  dogs  carrying  an  excess  of  lumber, 
as  unnecessary  bony  and  muscular  development  is  called, 
will  show  great  endurance  when  they  have  the  necessary 
will  and  pluck,  thus  apparently  upsetting  all  theories  of  the 
superiority  of  symmetrical  physical  structure  ;  however,  the 
theory  is  correct  as,  given  the  other  qualities  of  intelligence, 
constitution,  pluck  and  speed,  the  symmetrical,  strongly 
built  dog  will  excel  all  others  in  endurance,  but,  as  in  the 
race  horse,  his  powers  must  be  as  much  in  his  head  as  in  his 
heels. 

Besides  certain  other  analogies,  the  pointer  and  setter  are, 
as  a  class,  alike  in  weights,  running  from  thirty  to  thirty-five 
pounds  up  to  seventy  or  eighty  pounds,  and  sometimes, 
though  rarely,  more.  These  weights  may  be  considered  as 
being  the  extremes.  The  average  weights  are  from  forty 
to  fifty-five  pounds,  and  these  are  by  far  the  best  for  dogs 
in  all  kinds  of  work.  They  are  capable  of  more  prolonged 
exertion  with  less  distress  than  the  larger  or  smaller  dogs. 
Large  dogs  are  coarsely  made  as  a  general  rule  ;  if  well 
made,  a  rare  exception,  they  have  not  the  activity,  vigor  and 
will  power  of  the  small  or  middle  weights.  It  is  commonly 
said  that  a  good  large  dog  is  better  than  a  good  small  or 
medium  sized  one.  The  writer  in  the  field  trials  or  in  field 
work  has  not  observed  that  such  assumption  is  the  fact. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  45 

Analogous  inefficiency  in  other  animals  tends  to  refute  it, 
and  these  analogies  are,  strangely  enough,  usually  cited  to 
sustain  it,  by  confounding  strength  on  the  one  hand  with 
endurance  on  the  other.  As  a  matter  of  strength  alone, 
the  large,  well-made  dog  is  the  superior,  but  for  fleetness 
and  endurance  combined,  there  is  no  comparison  with  the 
others.  Thus  a  large,  well-built  man  is  superior  to  a  small 
one  in  a  personal  encounter,  but  the  statistics  show  that  for 
great  endurance  they  are  inferior — particularly  the  army 
statistics  show  that  in  long  marches,  where  the  highest 
degree  of  endurance  is  required,  the  large  men  were 
decidedly  placed  in  a  lower  grade.  In  horses  the  largest 
breeds  have  the  greatest  strength,  but  the  racing  horses  are 
not  the  largest  breeds.  Taking  the  individuals  of  a  racing 
strain  as  compared  to  each  other,  the  fleetest  animals  are  of 
medium  size  or  smaller,  the  large  animals  being  soon  disa- 
bled if  kept  for  speed  even  if  they  are  speedy.  Large  dogs, 
from  their  great  bulk  and  weight  have  the  further  disadvan- 
tage of  being  annoyingly  inconvenient  on  hunting  trips 
where  it  is  necessary  to  carry  them  in  a  wagon,  one  large 
dog  incommoding  the  occupants,  and  causing  much  discom- 
fort. When  traveling  by  rail  they  are  difficult  and  laborious 
to  handle  if  in  a  crate,  and  in  such  they  certainly  should  be 
if  the  journey  is  at  all  long. 

The  small  dog,  while  usually  being  very  active  and  pos- 
sessing great  powers  of  endurance,  also  has  certain  disad- 
vantages incident  to  his  size  and  weight.  Owing  to  the 
former  they  are  extremely  difficult  to  see  when  on  point,  if 
in  cover  which  is  at  all  close.  Ordinary  sedge  grass  will 
conceal  them,  the  only  visible  sign  of  their  presence  being 
the  line  of  motion  observable  in  the  top  of  the  grass  in  the 
course  the  dog  runs.  It  is  difficult  for  them,  owing  to  their 
light  weight,  to  gallop  through  heavy  sedge,  weeds,  briers, 
muddy  ground,  etc.,  and  if  the  cover  is  mixed  with  briers,  it 


46  MODERN    TRAINING. 

is  also  exceedingly  painful  to  them.  These  difficulties  add 
greatly  to  the  labor  and  fatigue  of  the  work.  However, 
good  dogs  like  good  horses  come  in  all  shapes — there  are 
some  forms  of  structure  which,  notwithstanding,  are  neces- 
sarily superior.  A  wide  chest,  with  coarse,  heavy  shoulders 
is  a  decided  disadvantage.  The  chest  should  be  moderately 
narrow  and  deep,  the  ribs  well  sprung  back  of  the  shoulders 
to  give  lung  room,  and  the  shoulders  so  set  as  to  play  freely. 

A  short,  thick  neck  is  very  undesirable.  An  excessively 
wide  loin  is  more  undesirable  than  a  strong,  narrow  one  ; 
the  latter  is  not  necessarily  an  evidence  of  weakness  as  it 
may  compensate  by  depth,  by  strong  muscular  development 
above  and  underneath.  On  the  other  hand  a  wide  loin  may 
be  thin,  and  a  broad  square  back  and  loin  usually  denote  a 
slow  gait,  the  correlated  structure  not  being  favorable  to 
speed. 

A  dog  which  is  awkward  in  his  work  from  immaturity, 
being  slow  in  developing,  should  not  be  confounded  with 
the  flighty,  fidgety,  nervously  inferior  kind  which  does  not 
improve  with  maturity.  A  dog,  slow  in  developing,  may  be 
discouragingly  backward  during  his  first  season,  but  when 
mature  he  maybe  a  fine  worker.  If  the  dog  is  rattleheaded 
or  poor  in  judgment,  very  little  should  be  attempted  with 
him  until  he  is  aged  sufficiently  to  steady  him.  It  may  im- 
prove his  faculties,  for  though  as  a  puppy  he  may  be  giddy, 
maturity  may  bring  some  intelligence.  But  also  he  may  be 
naturally  a  fool,  in  which  event  it  is  a  waste  of  time  to  at- 
tempt any  training.  It  is  much  better  to  condemn  him. 

Dogs  vary  greatly  in  their  habits,  disposition,  temper, 
intelligence,  endurance,  condition  and  general  working 
capabilities.  They  exhibit  all  kinds  and  degrees  of  char- 
acter and  efficiency  within  the  limits  of  their  natural  sphere; 
there  are  individuals  which  are  too  lazy  to  work,  though 
able;  ones  which  are  willing  to  work  but  cannot  learn 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  47 

formal  methods;  others  which  work  till  fatigued  and  then 
will  quit;  some  have  the  energy  without  the  ability,  or 
vice  versa;  others  will  work  diligently  if  permitted  to  have 
their  own  way;  others  will  sulk  if  offended  or  restrained,  or 
maliciously  do  the  work  badly;  others  are  chilled  if  shown 
any  unkindness.  All  the  peculiarities  of  temperament  have 
to  be  considered  in  training  the  dog  and  the  methods  adapted 
to  them.  So  far  as  training  is  concerned,  the  characters 
commonly  met  with  are  the  timid,  the  obstinate,  the  rattle- 
headed, the  vicious,  the  sulky,  the  cunning,  and  the  one 
which  is  difficult  to  handle  from  excessive  enthusiasm. 

The  timid  dog  is  the  most  difficult  to  train  if  handled 
improperly,  harshness  or  continual  restraint  sometimes 
totally  spoiling  him,  and  always  injuring  his  capabilities. 
He  may  have  courage  and  energy  when  not  in  his  handler's 
presence;  this  self-reliance  must  be  preserved  when  the  dog 
is  in  training,  regardless  of  slow  progress.  If  the  dog's 
confidence  is  lost,  there  is  then  no  training.  One  exhibition 
of  temper,  or  inopportune  punishment,  may  obliterate  the 
effects  of  weeks.  On  the  other  hand,  if  handled  gently, 
and  developed  by  opportunity  and  experience,  they  fre- 
quently make  excellent  field  dogs,  and  are  handled  with 
ease  when  trained.  Punishment  must  be  lightly  and  care- 
fully applied;  and  none  should  be  given,  whatever  fault  is 
committed,  when  birds  are  being  worked  on,  if  there  is  any 
timidity  with  respect  to  them,  or  any  gun  shyness.  All 
timid  dogs  should  be  thoroughly  yard  broken  before  any 
orders,  except  the  most  common  and  most  easily  obeyed,  are 
enforced  in  the  field;  although  the  directions  as  given  under 
the  head  of  Preparatory  Field  Work  should  be  observed  at 
the  same  time.  If  the  timid  dog  will  chase  birds  and  rab- 
bits, and  point,  flush  and  run  riot  generally,  so  much  the 
better;  such  faults  are  easily  remedied  in  proper  time;  and 
the  advantages  are  great.  There  are  many  intelligent  dogs 


4g  MODERN    TRAINING. 

which  are  timid;  also,  there  are  some  foolish  ones.  The 
latter  class  must  not  be  trained  by  any  arbitrary  rules;  the 
training  must  be  applied  as  their  powers  and  confidence 
develop;  to  teach  and  develop  such  dogs  properly  requires 
the  highest  skill  of  the  trainer.  They  require  punishment 
and  correcting  at  times,  but  it  must  be  applied  with  care;  if 
properly  applied,  the  dog  can  be  educated  to  take  ordinary 
punishment  with  comparative  indifference.  Herein  trainers 
differ  greatly;  a  good  trainer  can  whip  a  dog,  enforce  obe- 
dience and  retain  the  dog's  confidence,  while  a  poor  one 
has  a  wonderfully  positive  talent  for  completely  demoral- 
izing and  shattering  a  dog's  ideas,  affection,  and  hunting 
inclinations,  at  one  punishment.  Timidity  is  often  combined 
with  obstinacy  or  self  will,  which  complicates  the  training  a 
great  deal  and  requires  the  exercise  of  the  nicest  judgment. 
The  obstinacy  must  be  overcome,  yet  the  dog  must  not  be 
cowed  or  his  confidence  lost,  or  any  unpleasant  associations 
established  with  field  work.  It  is  here  apparent  that  to 
avoid  possible  complications  the  yard  lessons  should  first  be 
thoroughly  inculcated.  One  mistake  may  retard  the  training 
for  weeks;  the  dog  may  cease  work,  and  no  blandishments 
or  commands  thereafter  will  have  any  desirable  effect  on 
him;  thus  he  may  follow  at  heel  during  every  hunt  for  an 
indefinite  time.  A  dog  of  this  disposition  should  never  be 
taught  to  come  to  heel,  or  held  there  any  important  length 
of  time  before  his  training  is  well  advanced  in  obedience, 
steadiness  on  birds,  and  general  experience.  There  is  no 
fault  so  difficult  to  overcome  and  none  in  which  a  trainer  is 
so  completely  helpless  as  when  a  timid  dog  comes  to  heel 
and  there  remains.  The  trainer  can  only  bide  the  dog's 
time.  A  sulky  dog  could  be  whipped  from  heel;  but  time 
must  be  allowed  to  efface  the  fears  of  the  timid.  However, 
a  dog  may  begin  his  training  with  timidity,  and  acquire  a 
great  deal  of  boldness  before  it  is  completed. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  49 

The  obstinate  dog  is  usually  very  intent  on  having  his 
own  way,  or  on  resisting  the  will  of  his  trainer.  Usually  he 
is  consistently  obstinate  and  has  very  little  respect  for  pun- 
ishment; nevertheless,  the  obstinacy  may  be  combined  with 
timidity  or  cowardice.  The  thoroughly  obstinate  dog  must 
be  taken  firmly  in  hand  from  the  beginning,  and  a  thorough 
yard  breaking  given.  Cowing  the  dog  slightly  is  often 
beneficial,  providing  that  the  trainer  has  skill  enough  to 
keep  him  within  control;  that  is,  can  prevent  him  from  run- 
ning away.  If  he  is  taught  to  retrieve  by  force  from  the 
start,  it  usually  has  a  beneficial,  subjugating  effect.  It  mat- 
ters little  when  the  training  is  begun,  whether  the  trainer 
has  any  acquaintance  with  the  obstinate  dog,  or  vice  versa  j 
the  dog  very  soon  learns  to  recognize  his  master,  and  if  he 
is  treated  kindly  between  lessons,  will  soon  learn  to  love 
him  and  recognize  none  other  as  his  master.  With  a  timid 
dog,  it  is  necessary  to  gain  his  confidence  before  the  training 
is  begun.  With  the  obstinate  dog,  it  should  be  made  an 
inviolable  rule  to  enforce  obedience  to  any  orders,  and 
every  care  should  be  taken  to  avoid  giving  any  orders  that 
cannot  be  enforced  with  a  reasonable  degree  of  certainty. 
For  instance,  if  when  afield,  the  dog  is  ordered  to  Drop, 
being  some  distance  away  at  the  time,  there  may  be  uncer- 
tainty about  his  obeying  the  command.  If  he  refuses  and 
an  attempt  is  made  to  catch  him,  he  may  range  safely  out 
of  reach.  The  attempt  was  an  error  on  the  part  of  his 
handler,  for  no  command  should  be  given  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, when  there  was  a  probability  of  a  refusal  to 
comply,  with  every  advantage  on  the  side  of  the  dog.  The 
trainer,  knowing  the  peculiarities  and  reliability  of  his 
dog,  might  give  him  a  command  which  he  knew  would  be 
obeyed,  such  as  Come  in  ;  when  caught,  the  desired  obedi- 
ence could  be  then  enforced.  However,  if  the  yard  disci- 
pline is  thoroughly  established  with  rigid  adherence  to 


jO  MODERN    TRAINING. 

prompt  obedience  in  every  detail,  it  is  a  positive  advantage 
in  all  his  after  training;  and  the  obedience,  once  thoroughly 
implanted,  is  permanent. 

The  rattle-headed  dog,  particularly  if  he  has  a  hobby,  is 
a  trial  and  trouble  to  his  handler.  Devoid  of  intelligence, 
he  performs  his  work  as  it  may  happen,  and  never  compre- 
hends the  meaning  or  application  of  his  education  except 
the  simplest  parts  which  are  related  to  the  simplest  work. 
He  is  forgetful  because  his  memory  is  poor;  he  makes  errors 
because  he  does  not  have  a  solitary  plan  in  his  work;  his 
ranging  is  here  and  there,  in  likely  or  unlikely  places,  as  it 
may  happen;  frequently  he  is  a  dog  which  means  well,  but 
as 'the  friendship  of  some  of  the  superior  race  is  worse  than 
their  enmity,  so  the  good  intentions  of  the  rattleheaded  dog 
are  generally  materialized  in  glaring  faults;  he  will  point 
birds  if  he  happens  to  go  on  them  with  favorable  advantage 
of  wind,  position,  etc.,  but  he  flushes  them  with  equal  non- 
chalance if  he  goes  on  them  under  unfavorable  conditions. 
He  profits  very  slowly  by  experience,  making  the  same  error 
a  thousand  times  without  any  apparent  concern.  In  his 
mature  years,  a  dog  of  this  kind  may  improve  some;  but 
having  no  understanding,  he  is  always  irregular  and  deficient 
in  the  exercise  of  his  nose  and  legs.  Unlimited  oppor- 
tunities afield  are  necessary  to  make  anything  desirable  out 
of  him. 

The  vicious  dog  is  not  common.  Setters  and  pointers 
are  very  affectionate  and  mild  in  disposition.  Once  in  a 
long  while  the  vicious  dog  will  be  met  with.  After  he  has 
had  a  few  lessons,  he  becomes  cunning.  He  may  attempt 
to  fight  when  whipped,  or  while  the  spike-collar  is  used  on 
him,  or  when  the  trainer  attempts  to  put  it  on  him;  in  the 
latter  event  he  generally  retires  to  a  corner,  growls,  shows 
his  teeth,  and  prepares  for  hostilities  as  his  trainer  advances 
with  the  collar.  This  should  not  deter  the  trainer  in  the 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  53 

least.  The  advance  should  be  made  slowly  and  steadily, 
catching  his  eye  and  holding  it.  The  hands  should  be  pro- 
'  tected  with  heavy  gloves.  Reach  out  the  left  hand  slowly 
toward  him,  and  if  he  snaps  at  it,  do  not  withdraw  it.  It  is 
a  thousand  to  one  his  snap  falls  short  purposely,  or,  if  he 
grasps  the  hand,  it  will  be  gently  done.  By  no  means  at- 
tempt to  take  the  hand  forcibly  away,  and  show  no  trepida- 
tion. Gently  remove  the  hand  and  reach  for  his  collar;  after 
it  is  grasped,  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  put  the  spike  collar  on 
him.  There  are  some  dogs  so  vicious  that  it  is  unsafe  to 
trust  to  the  influence  of  the  eye  or  the  fears  of  the  dog. 
With  such,  when  the  left  hand  is  advanced,  the  right  should 
be  held  in  readiness  to  give  him  a  blow  in  the  ear  as  he 
makes  his  attack,  the  left  being  withdrawn  simultaneously; 
or  make  a  feint  of  reaching  quickly  with  the  left,  and 
quickly  catch  his  collar  with  the  right  hand  as  he  snaps  at 
the  left.  If  this  cannot  be  done  quickly  and  dexterously,  it 
is  better  not  to  attempt  it,  as  he  might  catch  the  right  hand. 
Any  trainer  having  the  necessary  nerve  can  put  the  collar 
on  by  one  or  other  of  these  methods. .  But  if  the  novice  does 
not  care  to  attempt  it,  he  can  whip  the  dog  into  submission. 
Give  him  a  good,  hearty  whipping;  if  he  growls  when  the 
hand  is  extended  toward  him,  repeat  it;  continue  the  treat- 
ment till  his  collar  can  be  grasped  without  any  aggressive 
demonstration  on  his  part. 

A  sulky  dog  is  a  very  unpleasant  subject  to  train.  When- 
ever they  are  restrained  in  the  exercise  of  their  own  will, 
they  work  sullenly  and  badly,  if  they  work  at  all.  This  dis- 
position has  several  different  degrees.  Some  dogs  will 
endure  a  certain  limited  quantity  of  restraint  or  correction 
before  sulking,  while  others  will  sulk  for  hours  at  the  first 
disagreeable  occurrence.  While  a  dog,  having  this  nature, 
is  in  training,  particularly  after  the  yard  breaking  is  com- 
pleted, every  care  should  be  taken  to  keep  him  as  cheerful 


54  MODERN    TRAINING. 

as  possible.     If  it  is  necessary  to  correct  him  when  he  is 
working  in  the  field,  it  is  better  not  to  resume  work  until  his^ 
good  nature  is  restored.     By  aggravating  this  unpleasant* 
trait,  it  can  be  greatly  developed,  much  to  the  injury  of  the 
dog's  value;  hence  the  necessity  of  keeping  it  dormant. 

The  cunning  dog  displays  admirable  address  in  his 
schemes  to  have  his  own  way.  He  flushes,  affects  an  air  of 
innocence  and  submission,  and  pretends  it  was  an  accident; 
he  will  pretend  to  misunderstand  an  order  which  is  not 
pleasing  to  him,  and  will  cheerfully  proceed  to  work  at 
something  else,  or  go  in  some  other  direction  which  is  more 
consonant  with  his  inclination;  he  well  knows  when  he  is 
out  of  sight  of  his  master,  and  can  therefore  flush  and  chase 
with  impunity.  At  such  times,  if  the  whistle  is  blown,  he  is 
oblivious  to  it;  but  the  moment  his  trainer  comes  in  sight, 
he  is  all  obedience  and  decorum.  Like  other  animals  en- 
dowed with  reason,  he  may,  in  his  peculiar  way,  be  dishonest; 
when  sent  to  retrieve  a  bird  which  fell  out  of  sight  he  may 
eat  it,  although  strictly  honest  when  under  the  eye  of  his 
trainer.  He  learns  a  thousand  little  wiles  and  artifices,  and 
by  success  in  their  exercise  learns  to  play  his  master  with 
the  greatest  finesse,  if  the  master  unhappily  should  attribute 
all  his  acts  to  pure  instinct,  and  should  therefore  be  uncon- 
scious of  his  inventive  powers.  A  few  wholesome  correc- 
tions stimulate  the  dog's  perceptions  extensively.  He 
knows  when  his  tricks  are  discovered,  and  if  once  com- 
pletely circumvented  in  all  his  wiles,  he  is  cunning  enough 
to  know  that  working  in  his  handler's  interest  is  the  more 
agreeable  course  to  pursue. 

The  dog  which  is  difficult  to  train  from  excess  of  enthu- 
siasm usually  comes  gradually  under  control,  if  given  work 
plentifully.  Enthusiasm  is  one  of  the  most  excellent  traits. 

A  general  knowledge,  at  least,  of  the  peculiarities  of 
different  dispositions  is  necessary,  and  must  be  duly  observed 
in  the  methods  of  training. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  55 


CHAPTER  II, 

NOMENCLATURE. 

Each  art  or  science,  possessing  any  general  importance, 
has  a  comprehensive,  supplementary,  special  language  which 
serves  to  express,  concisely  and  clearly,  all  the  prominent 
peculiarities  and  relations  of  peculiarities  belonging  to  it. 
Such  abundance  of  technical  terms  is  necessary,  in  treating 
of  an  art  which  has  a  variety  of  complex  details,  to  afford 
the  necessary  forms  of  expression,  and  the  consequent 
greater  precision,  fullness  and  conciseness. 

Unfortunately,  field  sports,  as  related  to  the  dog  and  gun, 
are  an  exception  to  the  rule,  the  technique  being  loose,  partly 
vague,  inelegant,  scanty  and  insufficient.  This  entails  a 
great  deal  of  unnecessary  circumlocution  and  obscurity  in 
all  sporting  literature,  the  finer  thoughts  and  shades  of  color 
being  lost  in  diffuse  expressions  or  tiresome  repetitions,  or 
only  the  main  ideas  are  given  by  reason  of  the  trouble  of 
constructing  phrases  to  portray  the  collateral  ideas. 

It  is  strange  that  field  sports  should  be  the  exception. 
Considering  the  general  and  uniform  distribution  of  the 
setter  and  pointer,  and  the  corresponding  magnitude  of  field 
sports  which  exists  at  present,  the  care  and  importance  at- 
tached to  their  breeding  and  training,  and  the  many  ages  in 
the  past  during  which  they  were  highly  valued,  and  the 
monetary  value  and  facility  afforded  by  an  established  sport- 
ing press  for  interchange  of  thought,  it  is  astonishing  that 
such  poverty  of  nomenclature  prevails.  It  would  reasonably 


t-6  MODERN    TRAINING. 

be  expected  that  when  field  sports  were  in  their  beginning, 
the  technical  terms  would  be  few  and  variable;  it  would  also 
be  expected  that  with  their  growth  terms  would  multiply 
and  have  an  established  meaning.  But  field  sports  have 
been  constantly  progressing,  while  the  nomenclature  re- 
mains the  same.  The  few  terms  in  use  are  of  the  most 
primitive  kind,  generally  being  identically  the  same  that 
were  bequeathed  by  past  ages,  and  were  originally  derived 
from  the  simplest  words. 

Pointing,  backing,  flushing,  ranging,  quartering,  retriev- 
ing, pottering,  reading,  dropping  to  shot,  wing  or  order, 
stealing  a  point,  refusing  to  back,  breaking  a  back,  drawing, 
blinking,  jealousy,  gunshyness,  footscent,  body  scent,  run- 
ning away  or  bolting,  chasing,  dropping  to  a  point,  are 
about  all  the  terms  which  the  nomenclature  affords  to  ex- 
press the  technique  of  field  work  or  training.  All  other  in- 
cidental particulars,  familiar  to  sportsmen,  have  no  special 
nomenclature.  This  meagerness  of  terms  is  more  apparent 
in  the  reports  of  field  trials  and  descriptions  of  hunting 
experiences  where  common  acts  of  the  dogs  are  described 
at  length  in  cumbersome  terms  again  and  again,  and  the  few 
technical  terms  are  repeated  with  tiresome  frequency.  Hence 
the  narrations  are  lacking  in  the  perspicuity,  fidelity  and 
vivacity  which  the  scope  and  variety. of  the  subject  require. 
Even  the  common  judgment  and  skill  of  the  dog  in  finding 
birds,  resulting  from  superior  mental  endowments  combined 
with  experience,  is  described  by  the  very  crude  term  "  bird 
sense,"  plainly  a  misnomer. 

Excepting  the  few  literary  productions  which  have  supe- 
rior merit  from  the  talent  of  the  writers,  this  paucity  of 
terms  undoubtedly  contributes  largely  to  the  flatness  and 
sameness  of  all  the  average  sporting  literature.  Unless  a 
writer  has  a  fertile  imagination  and  a  copious  vocabulary, 
this  scantiness  of  technical  material  is  sure  to  drag  him 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  57 

down  to  the  level  of  the  commonplace,  his  writings  taking 
rank  with  a  multitude  of  spiritless,  careless,  insipid  produc- 
tions that  might  have  passable  merit  if  the  authors  had  terms 
which  would  express  their  ideas. 

The  terms  used  to  denote  the  education,  and  branches  of 
education,  to  which  the  dog  is  subjected  in  preparing  him 
for  field  work,  and  the  details  of  field  work,  are  also  scanty 
and  inexpressive.  Even  the  terms  Training  and  Breaking, 
used  to  denote  the  general  education  of  the  dog  in  respect 
to  field  work,  have  not  the  fixedness  of  meaning  which  they 
should  have.  Either  term,  if  restricted  to  its  common 
meaning,  does  not  express  the  matter  fully;  and  when  used 
technically,  there  is  no  precise  accuracy.  While  both  are 
used  as  being  synonymous  by  some  experts  in  respect  to  the 
general  education  of  the  dog,  by  others  they  are  used  to 
designate  different  systems  of  training. 

These  terms,  training  and  breaking,  have  different  shades 
of  meaning  when  applied  to  special  branches  of  training; 
for  instance,  it  may  be  said  that  a  dog  is  trained  to  quarter 
his  ground,  or  to  range,  and  that  he  is  broken  from  chasing, 
biting  birds,  etc.,  thus  requiring  both  terms  to  express  the 
several  parts  of  education.  However,  these  loose  terms  are 
much  better  than  the  multitude  of  acts  which  have  no  name, 
or  which  have  an  imperfect  designation.  In  case  a  dog 
false  points  to  such  an  extent  that  the  hunter  feels  no  cer- 
tainty of  birds  being  to  his  points,  there  is  an  unusual  pro- 
fusion of  terms,  for  the  act  is  called  a  false  point  when  no 
birds  are  found,  and  the  dog  which  habitually  false  points 
is  called  a  false  pointer.  If  two  dogs  back  each  other,  the 
technical  term  is  they  '.'back  each  other."  Here  is  a  crude 
name  for  the  act,  but  there  is  no  technical  term  whatever  to 
distinguish  the  dog  which  habitually  causes  the  act;  for  it  is 
commonly  caused  by  a  dog  which  will  back  while  his  com- 
panion is  roading  or  puzzling  over  scent.  Many  common 


-g  MODERN    TRAINING. 

acts  have  neither  terms  to  denote  them  nor  the  dog  which 
performs  them.  For  instance,  the  act  of  circling  birds, 
heading  them  off  and  pointing  them  when  they  are  running 
down  wind;  the  habitual  quartering  or  ranging  entirely  to 
the  right  or  left  of  the  shooter;  the  habitual  turning  in  to- 
ward the  handler  at  the  end  of  each  cast  or  irregularly  rang- 
ing before  or  behind  the  handler;  the  habit  of  coming  di- 
rectly to  the  handler  after  each  cast;  the  act  of  leaving  the 
birds  when  found  out  of  sight  of  the  shooter,  and  returning 
to  him  to  give  notice  of  the  find;  the  act  of  marking  the 
flight  of  birds,  bevies  or  single  birds,  and  going  directly  to 
them  or  so  near  to  them  that  by  the  clog's  sense  of  smell 
he  readily  finds  them;  the  act  of  flushing,  whether  done 
excusably,  carelessly  or  willfully  in  an  effort  to  capture  the 
birds,  or  from  jealousy,  to  prevent  another  dog  from  point- 
ing; the  dog  which  is  proficient  only  in  a  special  part  or 
parts  of  field  work  as  distinguished  from  the  dog  which  is 
proficient  in  other  or  all  parts;  the  dog  which  hunts  intelli- 
gently, taking  every  advantage  of  cover,  wind  and  ground, 
from  the  dog  which  ranges  equally  wide  and  fast,  but  with- 
out any  intelligent  plan, — all  these  have  no  technical  dis- 
tinction, although  they  are  known  to  all  sportsmen. 

When  a  clog's  actions  denote  that  he  has  uncertainly 
caught  a  scent,  or  begins  to  road,  it  is  commonly  said  that 
he  "  feathers,"  the  term  being  derived  from  the  display  of 
feather  a  setter  usually  makes  when  he  is  conscious  of  game 
being  near.  This  term  is  plainly  inappropriate  to  express 
like  acts  of  the  pointer.  The  term  "  challenge  "  is  used,  by 
excellent  authority,  to  denote  this  act,  and  it  is  much 
more  expressive,  accurate  in  meaning,  and  admits  of 
comprehensive  application. 

It  would  seem  that,  there  being  so  many  large  associations 
of  sportsmen,  some  organized  effort  would  be  made  to  sup- 
plement and  amend  field  nomenclature;  but  there  appears 
to  be  no  interest  whatever  with  respect  to  it. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING. 


59 


In  this  work  the  term  training  and  breaking  will  be  used 
interchangeably,  the  name  being  immaterial  so  far  as  the  dog's 
education  is  concerned,  the  work,  the  methods  and  the  dog's 
nature  remaining  the  same,  irrespective  of  such. 

Handling  is  the  manner  of  working  and  governing  a 
trained  dog,  whether  in  private  field  work  or  a  public  com- 
petition, thus  affording  a  term  to  distinguish  between 
educational  and  working  supervision. 


MODERN    TRAINING. 


CHAPTER  III. 

.  THE  AMATEUR  TRAINER. 

The  amateur  trainer  usually  has  the  necessary  enthusiasm 
and  pertinacity,  two  qualities  which  are  essential  to  the  best 
success;  but,  in  his  first  attempts,  he  invariably  displays 
faults  which  are  due  to  want  of  discipline  in  himself.  The 
most  common  and  serious  fault  is  the  irregular  temper  and 
the  consequent  much  punishment  and  little  teaching  to 
which  the  dog  is  subjected.  He  does  not  consider  that 
promiscuous,  therefore  misdirected,  punishment,  inflicted  for 
not  obeying  commands  which  are  not  understood,  is  not 
training  in  any  profitable  sense  of  the  term;  on  the  contrary, 
it  is  decidedly  injurious  to  the  dog  and  obstructive  to 
the  training.  The  trainer  should  not  set  up  his  own 
knowledge  as  a  standard  for  the  dog,  and  by  which  to 
conduct  the  training,  as  many  unconsciously  do.  He 
should  intelligently  study  the  dog's  capabilities  and  pecu- 
liarities, modifying  his  methods  and  efforts  in  accordance 
with  the  dog's  capacity.  Ideas  which  appear  simple  and 
effective  to  the  trainer  may  be  comprehended  with  extreme 
difficulty  by  the  pupil,  particularly  if  the  trainer  has  an  im- 
perfect system  of  teaching.  The  novice  usually  assumes 
that  the  dog  has,  at  least,  a  fair  knowledge  of  the  English 
language,  for  he  multiplies  orders,  and  frequently  has 
different  orders  for  the  same  act.  The  ignorance  of  the 
dog  is  ascribed  to  obstinacy  or  stupidity,  and  punishment 
follows.  If  a  strong  man  were  to  give  a  small  boy  commands 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  6l 

which  he  did  not  comprehend,  and  immediately  thereafter 
punish  him  for  disobedience,  such  tutor  would  not  be  es- 
teemed for  his  skill  ;  yet  such  course  would  not  be  less 
absurd  than  the  analogous  one  pursued  by  some  amateurs. 
Other  serious  faults  are  irregularity  of  effort  and  inattention 
to  details.  The  amateur  may  give  the  lessons  properly  for 
two  or  three  days,  then  miss  them  for  two  or  three  weeks, 
and  the  clog  is  supposed  to  remember  all,  regardless  of  the 
fitful  training.  Proper  care  is  not  observed  in  correcting 
little  imperfections  of  detail.  Faults  which  could  be 
corrected  without  trouble  at  their  inception  are  permitted 
to  grow  and  gain  strength  from  habit,  and  are  impatiently 
treated  only  when  they  injuriously  affect  the  general  train- 
ing. Not  infrequently  a  novice  impulsively  attempts  to 
teach  a  whole  system,  or  important  branch  of  a  system,  or 
correct  a  grave  fault,  at  one  attempt,  whereas  he  should 
have  taken  days  or  weeks.  He,  in  his  inexperience,  is 
predisposed  to  believe  that  there  is  a  fictitious  valuation  of 
the  benefits  accruing  from  a  close  observance  of  small  de- 
tails, hence  he  ignores  them.  Strict  attention,  systematically 
perfecting  even  the  slightest  details,  is  necessary  to  achieve 
success  in  training.  Desultory  efforts  are  but  a  short  re- 
move from  no  effort. 

The  amateur,  besides  being  punctual  and  considerate, 
must  acquire  a  habit  of  watchfulness  and  observation.  To 
accomplish  this  requires  constant  effort  of  the  will  at  first, 
but  by  cultivation  it  will  become  habitual.  After  a  time, 
the  trainer,  if  possessed  of  the  proper  qualifications,  will  be 
able  to  correctly  interpret  ev.ery  action  of  the  dog  and  an- 
ticipate his  acts  by  his  expression. 

Some  novices  have  the  fault  of  training  continually.  The 
dog  should  not  be  made  to  feel  that  his  life  is  one  inter- 
minable lesson.  While  giving  a  lesson,  the  trainer  should 
be  painstaking  and  skillful,  but  when  the  lesson  is  ended, 


62  MODERN    TRAINING. 

the  training  should  be  dropped  for  the  time  being,  and  the 
role  of  kind  and  indulgent  master  assumed.  Ceaseless 
effort  begets  distrust  or  dislike  ;  furthermore,  the  dog's 
mental  faculties  are  not  equal  to  long  continued  efforts 
without  excessive  fatigue,  a  trait  which  is  also  peculiar  to 
the  nobler  animal. 

It  is  also  worthy  of  note  that  a  trainer  cannot  train  dogs 
successfully  and  at  the  same  time  indulge  in  regular  shoot- 
ing. It  may  be  done  after  a  certain  loose  fashion,  but  the 
education  of  the  dog  invariably  suffers.  The  thousands  of 
birds  a  man  may  have  shot  over  a  dog,  or  his  expertness 
with  a  gun,  is  no  criterion  whatever  in  respect  to  his  train- 
ing capabilities.  Training  is  a  distinct  art  by  itself  of 
which  shooting  birds  is  merely  a  detail,  hence  experience 
in  shooting  is  not  necessarily  experience  in  training.  Ex- 
perience, to  be  of  value,  must  be  correctly  derived  and 
associated.  A  fine  shot,  if  an  amateur,  is  rarely  a  good 
trainer,  for  the  sufficient  reason  that  he  is  so  passionately 
fond  of  shooting  he  has  no  patience  with  obstructive  delays 
to  his  pleasure,  therefore  he  makes  all  else  subservient  to 
it.  He  does  the  shooting  first  and  the  training  afterward, 
contrary  to  the  correct  method. 

It  requires  just  the  same  study,  industry,  natural  capa- 
bilities and  enthusiasm  to  make  an  expert  trainer  and 
handler  as  are  required  to  become  expert  in  any  other  art 
of  equal  complexity,  hence  it  is  apparent  that  the  length  of 
time  required  to  learn  the  art  is  dependent  on  the  amateur's 
aptitude  and  industry.  If  he  cannot  train  a  dog  well  even 
after  studying  and  applying  a  proper  system,  his  efforts  are 
not  without  gain,  for  the  knowledge  will  be  serviceable  in 
handling  a  trained  dog.  Good  handling  is  a  very  desirable 
accomplishment,  a  thorough  knowledge  of  it  leading  to  a 
higher  appreciation  and  better  understanding  of  good 
work,  the  disposition  of  dogs,  and  a  correct  judgment  of  a 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  63 

dog's  working  qualities.  From  the  experience  gained,  there 
is  greater  ability  to  control  and  handle  dogs,  every  expe- 
rience in  any  particular  branch  being  beneficial  in  all 
branches. 

No  man  can  achieve  success,  or  even  passable  success,  as 
a  trainer  or  handler,  who  looks  upon  a  dog  as  a  senseless 
piece  of  mechanism  which  works  as  the  owner  desires,  and 
thus  gaining  its  reward  by  the  grace  of  servitude  to  the 
highest  order  of  creation.  To  develop  the  highest  capa- 
bilities, the  dog  must  be  treated  kindly  as  a  companion,  as 
is  his  just  merit. 

The  amateur  should  cultivate  a  calm,  equable  exterior. 
If  he  is  excitable  or  easily  irritated,  showing  it  in  voice  and 
manner,  it  will  directly  or  sympathetically  affect  the  dog. 
If  the  amateur  breaks  shot  himself  when  a  bird  is  killed  and 
deports  himself  unsteadily  otherwise  in  shooting,  he  can 
rest  assured  that  the  dog  will  do  likewise,  whether  broken  or 
unbroken.  Dogs  are  very  imitative  and  sympathetic. 
They  soon  catch  the  excitement  and  unsteadiness  of  their 
handler,  also  the  excitement  and  unsteadiness  of  un- 
broken dogs  if  hunted  with  such.  Even  when  no  game  is 
present,  the  handler  can  excite  and  unsteady  his  dog  by 
simulating  a  chase  ;  much  easier  is  it  then  to  excite  him 
when  game  is  present.  The  demeanor  should  be  as  placid 
and  the  manner  as  deliberate  when  shooting  birds  as  if  it 
were  the  most  ordinary  occurrence. 

The  ordinary  tone  of  voice  should  be  used,  when  possible, 
in  giving  orders,  and  it  is  possible  whenever  the  dog  is 
near  enough  to  hear  such  tone.  It  is  as  equally  effective 
as  the  loudest  and  is  incomparably  superior  in  refinement. 
Nothing  is  more  disgusting  than  a  bawling,  bellowing  de- 
livery of  orders.  He  who  is  loud,  turbulent,  devoid  of  field 
etiquette  and  offensively  impulsive  in  his  acts  and  utter- 
ances, will  spoil  the  most  capable  dog  in  existence  ;  and  if 
5 


64  MODERN    TRAINING. 

thereto  he  adds  the  weakness  of  finding  fault  with  his  dog, 
gun,  cartridges  and  friends,  and  never  finds  a  fault  in  him- 
self,' he  cannot  hope  to  be  higher  as  a  trainer  than  he  is  as 
a  companion,  unless  he  amends,  which  is  hardly  presum- 
able, as  there  are  very  few  precedents  therefor.  He  who 
can  be  heard  in  the  adjacent  counties  when  a  bird  is 
flushed,  or  he  who  goes  to  the  other  extreme  and  praises 
his  dog  irrespective  of  the  accuracy  or  inaccuracy  of  his 
work,  can  accept  it  it  as  an  unalterable  fact  that  as  a 
skillful  trainer  he  has  mistaken  his  calling  or  diversion,  as 
the  case  may  be. 

If  the  amateur  fails  in  training  a  dog  which  possesses  the 
proper  natural  qualities,  the  failure  can  only  be  ascribed  to 
his  own  deficient  skill  or  industry;  for  dog- training,  as  prac- 
ticed at  present,  is  an  established  art,  and  is  followed  as  a 
profession  year  after  year  by  a  number  of  men.  Given  a 
dog  having  the  required  natural  capabilities,  there  is  not  the 
least  doubt  as  to  successful  training.  Any  part  the  dog  will 
not  perform  willingly  can  be  made  compulsory. 

It  is  absolutely  necessary  that  the  trainer  either  has  a  good 
temper,  or  self-control  over  such  temper  as  he  has,  which 
practically  is  the  same  thing  in  dog  training.  All  trainers 
are  more  or  less  impatient  and  irritable  in  their  first  efforts, 
but  it  is  a  weakness  which  should  be  suppressed  as  much  as 
possible.  The  ideal  trainer  who  is  always  patient  and  serene 
does  not  exist.  By  self-discipline  a  trainer  can  learn  to 
control  his  temper;  if  he  has  not  the  will  power  to  so  control 
it,  he  is  not  the  proper  material  for  a  trainer.  Just  so  often 
as  he  loses  his  temper  and  inflicts  unnecessary  punishment, 
just  so  often  does  he  do  wrong  and  obstruct  progress.  No 
matter  how  refractory  or  stupid  a  dog  may  be,  nothing  is 
gained  by  gratifying  ill  temper.  If  the  trainer's  temper  is 
impatient  or  fiery,  yet  controllable,  it  is  no  obstacle  to  suc- 
cessful training;  indeed,  the  expert  trainers,  as  a  class,  are 


BREAKING    ANP     HANDLING.  65 

not  very  mild  tempered  when  crossed  unnecessarily,  but  in 
the  management  of  dogs  they  are  patient,  persistent,  kind, 
and  fond  of  dogs  withal.  A  man's  everyday  disposition  is 
no  criterion  by  which  to  judge  his  temper  as  a  trainer.  He 
may  be  amiable,  refined,  and  attentively  kind  in  social  and 
business  life,  yet,  when  training,  may  display  terrible  vio- 
lence and  unimagined  fluency  and  resources  of  language; 
on  the  other  hand,  an  ill-tempered  man  may  conduct  the 
training  with  the  greatest  patience  and  expedition;  it  can 
only  be  determined  by  actual  trial. 

Another  prime  requisite  is  that  the  trainer  should  be  fond 
of  a  dog,  otherwise  he  will  not  be  sufficiently  considerate  in 
giving  him  time  and  opportunity  to  gradually  and  progres- 
sively learn  the  many  things  required  of  him.  Men  are 
intelligent  beings  of  a  high  order,  yet  it  would  give  the 
greater  part  of  them,  endowed  as  they  are  with  reasoning 
powers,  a  severe  task  and  many  wearisome  hours  to  learn 
to  solve  and  intelligently  explain,  with  the  aid  of  the  best 
masters,  a  simple  problem  in  complex  fractions,  therefore 
he  should  be  merciful  to  the  dog  which,  he  declares,  solves 
problems  by  instinct  with  the  disjointed  instructions  of  all 
kinds  of  masters. 

An  exaggerated  self-sufficiency,  ignorance  of  methods, 
misconception  of  dog  nature  and  impulsiveness,  each  and 
all  detract  from  the  novice's  progress  and  efficiency.  He 
should  aim,  by  study  and  observation,  to  gain  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  methods.  He  should  disabuse  his  mind  of 
the  idea,  if  it  exists,  that  there  is  an  arbitrary,  inflexible 
method  for  training  all  dogs.  To  supplement  the  common 
methods,  he  must  have  natural  fertility  of  resources  to  cor- 
rect any  unusual  trait  which  may  be  undesirably  exhibited. 
He  should  also  recognize  the  fact  that  training  is  accom- 
plished only  by  persistent,  uniform  effort;  and  without 
effort  there  is  no  training.  After  a  perusal  of  the  following 


66  MODERN    TRAINING. 

chapters  he  will  perceive  that  it  is  quite  as  serious  a  fault  to 
be  all  method  as  to  be  without  method.  He  can  have  so 
much  educational  method  as  to  suppress  the  dog's  hunting 
capabilities. 

A  fair  degree  of  manual  dexterity  is  very  important,  par- 
ticularly in  applying  force  to  perfect  a  retriever.  The  awk- 
ward, forceless  amateur  who  cannot  put  a  checkcord  on  a 
dog  without  immediately  entangling  himself  and  every 
object  within  reach,  or  who  gets  the  whip,  checkcord  and 
his  hands  mixed,  every  act  going  contrary-wise  to  his  inten- 
tions, would  do  well  to  practice  these  acts  by  himself  till  he 
is  proficient,  thereby  saving  a  dog  much  pain  from  his 
bungling.  If  he  cannot  attain  the  necessary  dexterity,  his 
special  talent  as  a  trainer  lies  in  suasive  methods,  and  he 
should  cultivate  it  in  that  relation;  for  it  is  better  to  be  an 
indifferent  trainer  than  an  inefficient  infliction.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  trainer  who  has  great  strength  and  dexter- 
ity should  only  apply  such  force  as  is  necessary,  and  should 
proceed  with  due  deliberation.  Excessive  punishment  will 
injure  a  dog  much  more  than  is  commonly  supposed.  A 
dog  may  start  in  full  of  fire  and  energy,  and  gradually 
become  listless,  the  amateur  frequently  ascribing  it  to  fail- 
ing health,  he  not  knowing  that  severe,  long-continued  pun- 
ishment would  produce  it. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  67 


CHAPTER  IV. 

GENERAL  REMARKS  ON  TRAINING. 

The  important  subjects  of  ranging,  pointing,  backing, 
reading,  etc.,  are  dwelt  upon  at  length,  not  so  much  with 
the  intention  alone  of  delineating  the  method  of  establishing 
a  mere  training  in  certain  acts,  as  to  describe  the  manner 
in  which  the  dog  should  be  developed  and  trained  to  the 
highest  degree  of  his  capabilities,  with  due  regard  to  his 
natural  powers  and  their  subserviency  to  the  purposes  of 
the  gun.  It  usually  requires  a  long,  ample  experience  to 
arrive  at  the  highest  degree  of  knowledge  relating  to  field 
sports.  If  the  sportsman  is  left  to  his  own  resources,  it  is 
generally  acquired  by  slow,  easy  stages  of  evolution.  No 
small  part  of  this  imperfection  and  dilatory  progress  is  due 
to  the  common  misconceptions  respecting  dog  nature  and 
instincts.  By  searching  continually  for  complications  where 
none  exist;  by  assuming  that  the  dog  knows  nothing  but 
what  he  is  taught;  by  enforcing  artificial  systems  which  are 
opposed  to  the  dog's  native  capabilities,  the  true  system, 
which  is  in  harmony  with  the  dog's  nature  and  instincts,  is, 
from  its  very  simplicity,  overlooked.  Notwithstanding  the 
general  distribution  of  the  dog  and  that  every  sportsman 
has  more  or  less  knowledge  of  the  setter  and  pointer  and 
the  manner  in  which  they  work  when  trained,  but  compara- 
tively few  know  anything  of  the  real  refinements  in  handling 
or  training.  This  is  thoroughly  exemplified  in  the  con- 
strained manner  in  which  the  average  dog  works,  or  the  per- 


68  MODERN    TRAINING 

petual  whistling  and  commanding  to  which  he  is  subjected 
when  working. 

There  are  some  simple  principles  in  dog  training  which 
should  be  understood  and  recognized  at  the  start,  namely, 
that  the  two  principal  elements  in  a  dog's  working  capabil- 
ities are  pointing  and  ranging j  if  these,  as  the  foundation, 
are  not  well  laid,  the  accessory  natural  qualities  and  whole 
educational  superstructure,  must  be  faulty.  If  a  dog  can 
point  well,  and  cannot  range,  or  vice  versa,  it  is  plain  that 
his  useful  capabilities  are  of  but  little  value.  The  impor- 
tance of  developing  these  properties  to  their  full  capabili- 
ties, together  with  the  methods,  is  described  in  the  chapters 
devoted  to  those  subjects. 

There  is  no  secret  in  the  art  of  training  any  more  than 
what  is  embodied  in  diligence,  skill,  and  fondness  for  the  art. 
Some  of  the  simplest  parts  and  details  are  taught  patiently 
at  first,  and  the  education  is  conducted  step  by  step  in  easy 
gradations  till  the  education  is  completed.  In  the  latter 
stages,  too  great  pains  cannot  be  taken  to  have  every  com- 
mand associated,  as  much  as  possible,  with  obedience, 
whether  compulsory  or  voluntary;  any  deviation  from  this 
impairs  progress  and  proper  finish  to  the  dog's  training. 
Due  care  must  be  observed  in  the  primary  lessons  respect- 
ing the  control  of  the  dog,  for  if  he  learns  that  he  can  evade 
certain  orders  by  running  away  or  keeping  out  of  reach  of 
his  handler,  he  rapidly  adds  to  his  knowledge  in  respect 
to  things  which  are  not  desired  to  be  learned,  and  finally 
becomes  unmanageable. 

In  conducting  the  education,  the  dog  should  be  treated 
kindly  and  in  good  faith  as  a  reasoning  animal,  which  he 
is.  If  a  trainer,  firm  in  the  belief  that  a  dog  cannot  learn 
by  experience,  applies  punishment  promiscuously,  he  will 
soon  learn  that  the  dog,  whether  by  reason  or  instinct,  or 
without  either,  will,  if  opportunity  offers,  successfully  avoid 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  69 

his  trainer  and  his  lessons.  He  will  learn  also  that,  after  a 
very  short  experience,  the  dog  will  comprehend  his  aggres- 
sive purposes  and  can  read  his  intentions  so  well  that  he 
can  anticipate  them  by  the  expression  of  his  trainer's  coun- 
tenance alone,  even  if  the  trainer's  voice  is  sweetly  modu- 
lated, and  his  manner  seductive. 

The  primary  education,  as  with  all  other  animals,  high  or 
low,  is  the  most  difficult  to  teach;  but,  after  the  dog  has 
learned  his  master's  ways  and  comprehends  some  of  the 
acts  and  orders,  the  remainder  of  the  education  is  acquired 
with  greater  ease;  indeed,  if  given  judicious  opportunity,  he 
will  learn  a  great  deal  himself  by  his  observational  powers 
alone.  His  character  must  be  studied  and  understood, 
every  dog,  in  this  respect,  differing  from  every  other  dog.' 
By  closely  observing  the  habits,  temper,  disposition  and  in- 
telligence of  dogs,  the  trainer  cannot  fail  to  observe  the 
diversity  of  character  which  exists.  Also  an  astonishing 
number  of  intelligent  acts  and  ideas  will  be  noted,  among 
which  will  be  the  one  that  the  dog  has  a  very  correct  esti- 
mate of  his  master's  disposition  and  habits.  If  the  latter 
does  not  believe  that  the  dog  is  a  rational  animal,  he  would 
do  wisely  to  study  him  still  more  closely,  try  to  understand 
why  he  does  certain  intelligent  acts,  note  his  fixed  habits  of 
life,  power  of  memory,  will,  etc.,  and  then  if  he  can  not 
believe  that  the  dog  has  reasoning  powers,  he  can,  without 
prejudice,  conduct  the  training  as  if  he  did  believe  it,  and 
he  will  progress  with  much  more  satisfaction  to  himself  and 
comfort  to  the  dog. 

In  the  estimation  of  the  average  novice,  a  dog  is  a  dog 
without  any  distinguishable  differences  of  character  or 
intelligence  from  those  of  every  other  individual  dog,  in 
about  the  same  sense  that  one  brick  of  a  certain  lot  is  sim- 
ilar to  all  other  bricks  of  that  lot,  the  natural  inference  then 
being  that  only  one  formal,  arbitrary  system  is  required  in 


70  MODERN    TRAINING. 

training.  Nothing  could  be  more  erroneous.  The  temper- 
ament of  each  dog  varies  quite  as  much  from  that  of  all 
other  dogs  as  one  landscape  differs  from  all  others,  and  the 
trainer  has  quite  as  great  a  diversity  of  material  to  work 
upon  as  the  artist  has,  although  both  have  a  few  fixed,  sim- 
ple, elementary  principles  for  the  groundwork.  Both  artist 
and  trainer  must  have  a  perfection  and  finish  in  the  tout 
ensemble  which  is  not  reducible  to  formal  rules.  This 
ability  is  commonly  called  talent,  but  such  does  not  compre- 
hend it;  it  is  really  the  ability  resulting  from  love  of  the  art, 
years  of  close  study  and  hard  work,  and  a  few  natural  qual- 
ifications. Without  the  industry  and  enthusiasm,  the  talent 
is  very  little  to  the  purpose. 

A  system  of  training  is  neither  one  of  constant  appeal  to 
the  whip  or  other  punishment,  nor  a  ceaseless  attempt  at 
suasion.  The  two  must  be  combined  in  due  proportion  to 
the  requirements  of  the  pupil.  However,  as  being  of  spe- 
cial importance,  it  should  be  noted  that  all  punishment  is 
purely  corrective  when  properly  used  in  training. 

In  the  greater  number  of  instances,  the  dog's  training  is 
hurried  too  much.  The  all-important  point  is  to  rush  it 
through  to  a  finish  at  the  earliest  possible  moment.  The 
true  principle  is  to  train  the  dog  by  easy  gradations  from 
the  simple  to  the  complex.  As  he  progresses,  he  will  learn 
to  coadapt  his  methods  to  those  of  his  handler  from  observ- 
ing the  success  of  methods,  adjusting  his  work  nicely  and 
intelligently  to  subserve  the  purposes  of  the  gun.  By  expe- 
rience thus  given,  he  acquires  a  full  knowledge  of  all  the 
varied  and  complicated  details  of  field  work  and  their  pur- 
poses. 

Also,  as  a  rule,  the  education  of  dogs  begins  while  they 
are  too  young.  When  the  puppy  is  a  year  old  he  is  young 
enough  to  start  in  training,  and  even  then  he  should  be 
worked  with  care  and  judgment.  A  year  and  a  half  is  none 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  71 

too  old,  or  two  years  if  the  dog  has  not  been  ruined  by  bad 
handling,  although  an  earlier  age  is  desirable.  The  dog's 
mental,  muscular  and  nervous  organizations  are  not  suffi- 
ciently matured  till  he  is  a  year  old,  at  least.  Occasionally 
a  puppy  is  well  developed  at  ten  months;  but  very  little  is 
gained  by  working  puppies  at  an  early  age,  and  there  is 
always  possible  injury.  With  respect  to  the  human  subject, 
no  intelligent  man  would  advocate  placing  a  ten  year  old 
boy  in  severe  training  in  general  athletics  and  a  severe 
course  of  study  at  the  same  time.  In  such  early  training, 
neither  the  boy  nor  the  puppy  would  have  any  comprehen- 
sion of  the  application  of  what  they  were  taught,  besides 
which  their  organization  would  not  be  sufficiently  matured 
to  endure  the  severe  mental  and  physical  strain.  In  youth, 
the  puppy's  mind  is  immature  and  only  adapted  to  such 
thoughtless  improvement  as  is  incidental  to  playfulness. 
His  physique  also  has  all  the  tenderness  of  immaturity, 
therefore  his  own  free  will  should  determine  how  much  or 
how  little  exercise  he  will  take.  The  same  physiological 
laws  which  are  universally  recognized  as  applicable  to  the 
best  development  of  children  apply  with  like  force  and  pre- 
cision to  the  development  of  puppies. 

The  dog  undoubtedly  is  capable  of  receiving  a  higher 
education  than  any  other  species  of  the  lower  animals,  his 
natural  fitness  for  his  place  in  the  economy  of  man's  servi- 
tude demanding  that  he  should  have  a  peculiarly  high  edu- 
cation. All  other  domestic  animals  are  controlled  largely 
by  mechanical  appliances;  the  dog,  if  a  long  or  short  dis- 
tance away,  can  be  controlled,  when  trained,  by  a  motion  of 
the  hand.  He  voluntarily  co-aids  his  master  in  the  pursuit 
of  game,  in  a  methodical  manner;  and  from  love  of  him, 
and  comprehension  of  his  purposes,  he  is  faithfully  reliable, 
and  an  intelligent  assistant. 

There  is  an  important  element  in  successfully  developing 


12  MODERN    TRAINING. 

the  dog's  highest  capabilities  that  is  above  methods  and 
cannot  be  expressed  in  words  any  more  than  all  the  differ- 
ent colors  of  the  rainbow,  in  their  finest  blendings,  shape, 
relations,  concentricity,  and  degrees  of  intensity,  could  be 
so  portrayed.  This  refinement  is  in  training  the  dog  not 
only  so  that  he  will  do  the  work,  but  so  that  he  will  have  a 
full  comprehension  of  its  purposes  and  the  interdependen- 
cies  of  all  the  different  parts.  He  has  then  a  full  under- 
standing of  the  acts  of  his  master  and  loves  to  work  for  him 
alone,  whereas,  when  he  began,  he  worked  solely  for  his 
own  pleasure.  To  reach  this  refinement,  the  dog  must  be 
treated  kindly  as  a  rational  animal.  When  he  performs  an 
intelligent  act,  he  should  be  encouraged  to  know  that  he 
has  done  well.  Do  not  make  the  mistake  of  thinking  that 
he  will  not  understand  it.  He  will  soon  be  on  the  watch  to 
learn  what  acts  are  correct  and  pleasing,  and  worthy  of 
approbation.  He  will  learn  by  observation  his  master's 
moods  and  habits,  and  will  take  keen  pleasure  in  working 
when  he  works  and  resting  when  he  rests.  There  is  a 
mutual  bond  of  sympathy  and  understanding,  a  subtle  com- 
prehension, by  which  the  dog  works  to  the  will  of  his  mas- 
ter, when  perfectly  trained,  without  any  commands;  and  the 
master  comprehends  every  action  and  idea  of  the  dog.  This 
higher  training  borders  on  the  realms  of  the  psychological ; 
yet  that  there  is  a  time  in  the  life  of  a  properly  trained  dog 
when  he  will  intelligently  and  accurately  work  without  any 
supervision  ;  when  he  comprehends  his  master's  will  or  pur- 
pose by  his  actions  or  expression  of  manner ;  when  he  is 
happy  only  in  his  master's  presence  ;  when  his  knowledge 
comprehends  every  detail  of  the  work,  and  when  there  is  a 
mutual  esprit^  no  expert,  I  believe,  will  dispute  ;  still  it 
must  not  be  expected  that  the  dog  will  reach  all  the  higher 
capabilities  of  his  nature  before  he  is  matured  mentally,  and 
has  had  skillful  training  and  ample  experience. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  73 

Many  erroneous  ideas  prevail  among  novices  in  respect  to 
the  theory  of  training.  It  is  commonly  supposed  that  the 
setter  and  pointer  are  taught  all  branches  of  field  work, 
even  to  pointing  birds  ;  hence,  that  stringent  restraints  and 
continual  efforts  are  necessary  to  subjugate  them.  No  more 
vicious  theory  could  be  imagined.  They  hunt  naturally  for 
themselves  and  learn  methods  much  more  accurately  and 
effectively  when  left  to  their  own  experience  and  judgment. 
These  natural  capabilities  are  simply  controlled  sufficiently 
to  subserve  the  purposes  of  the  gun,  and  the  process  of 
reducing  them  to  this  state  constitutes  training.  If  the  dog 
is  inferior  in  any  functional  powers,  the  trainer  can  only 
make  the  best  of  such  material  as  there  is.  Any  natural 
deficiency  is  just  so  much  gone  from  the  dog's  capabilities. 
For  instance,  if  the  dog  is  devoid  of  the  pointing  instinct, 
by  giving  a  great  deal  of  experience  and  training,  he  may 
be  taught  to  stop  on  birds  ;  but  the  act  is  then  artificial  and 
could  be  taught  to  a  hound  or  cur  in  the  same  way.  It  is 
hardly  necessary  to  mention  that  it  is  as  inferior,  when  so 
taught,  as  any  work  of  art  is  inferior  to  that  of  nature.  The 
conjecture  that  at  some  uncertain  period  in  past  ages,  in 
some  vague  manner,  the  dog's  hunting  and  pointing  were 
matters  of  education,  should  not  be  set  against  the  fact  of 
any  individual,  natural  imperfections  in  the  present.  There 
is  neither  sense  nor  necessity  in  straining  after  far-fetched 
theories  to  prove  that  the  pointing  instinct  had  an  educa- 
tional origin,  particularly  when  the  same  instinct  is  present 
in  the  pointer  without  any  theory  at  all  as  to  its  origin. 

A  proper  training  is  the  result  of  honest,  diligent  effort 
and  skill.  Any  system,  professed  to  be  a  short,  certain  sys- 
tem, by  which  a  dog  can  be  taught  thoroughly  in  a  few 
weeks,  by  unusual  methods,  is  either  the  result  of  a  very 
imperfect  knowledge  of  training,  or  an  utter  disregard  of 
facts.  Assuming  the  most  favorable  conditions,  four  to 


74  MODERN    TRAINING. 

eight  months,  at  least,  will  be  required  to  complete  the  edu- 
cation, although,  as  a  matter  of  course,  every  day  of  that 
time  is  not  necessarily  or  desirably  devoted  to  it ;  overwork 
is  as  incorrect  and  useless  as  any  other  erroneous  method. 
Occasionally  a  dog  performs  well  with  a  less  period  of 
instruction  ;  on  the  other  hand,  there  are  dogs  which  require 
two  full  seasons.  However,  six  months  can  be  safely  esti- 
mated as  the  average  if  the  last  three  months  of  the  training 
are  in  the  open  season,  and  ample  opportunity  afforded  for 
field  work.  If  all  the  training  is  done  in  the  fall  and  winter 
in  the  South,  the  climate  of  the  South  being  peculiarly  favor- 
able for  such  work,  the  training  may  be  done  in  less  time, 
the  weather  being  cooler,  the  cover  less  dense,  birds  easier 
to  find,  the  temperature  more  favorable  for  scent,  and  the 
dogs  can  work  without  distress. 

Taking  a  finished  field  education  as  a  standard,  the  pro- 
gressive education,  from  start  to  finish,  may  be  divided  into 
three  distinct  stages,  namely:  First.  The  yard  training, 
during  which  the  dog  is  taught  and  comprehends  certain 
acts  with  certain  experiences,  but  does  not  understand  their 
application  in  actual  field  work,  such  being  obviously  impos- 
sible. Second.  The  stage  in  his  field  work,  in  which  he  is 
learning  to  hunt,  learning  the  application  of  acts  taught  in 
yard  breaking,  and  the  relation  of  his  work  to  the  purposes 
of  the  gun.  This  stage  varies  greatly  in  individuals  accord- 
ing to  their  intelligence,  tractability,  and  the  skill  of  the 
trainer.  It  is  the  most  difficult  stage  of  training,  and  usually 
has  distinct  sub-stages — the  dog  at  first  has  no  knowledge 
of  what  is  required  of  him,  and,  as  is  his  nature,  hunts 
impetuously,  solely  for  himself.  Partly  by  his  own  observa- 
tion and  partly  by  restraint,  he  next  learns  that  by  modi- 
fying his  efforts  so  that  they  will  act  conjointly  with  the 
efforts  of  the  shooter,  there  is  a  more  uniform  result  and 
success.  Gradually,  with  experience,  he  progressively 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  75 

learns  the  application  and  relation  of  every  detail  that  has 
a  bearing  on  capturing  game.  However,  there  are  some 
parts  which  he  cannot  understand,  consistently  with  the 
purposes  of  hunting,  which  is  creditable  to  his  intelligence. 
When  the  bird  is  killed  he  has  the  same  feeling  observable 
in  the  nobler  animal,  viz.,  to  rush  in  and  secure  possession. 
Dropping  to  wing  and  shot  are,  to  the  dog,  irrelevant  acts. 
He  can  solve  the  relations  of  other  dependent  acts  him- 
self, but  in  this  part  he  perceives  no  application  to  the  pur- 
pose, and  never  learns  it  or  observes  it  except  as  an  act  of 
arbitrary  education.  Third.  The  dog,  after  comprehend- 
ing and  applying  the  educational  part,  reaches  the  stage  of 
finesse.  He  conducts  all  his  work  skillfully,  with  a  view  to 
shaping  every  part  to  the  advantage  of  the  gun  ;  he  con- 
trives little  arts  and  wiles  to  circumvent  the  birds  ;  he  dis- 
plays intelligent  management,  schemes  and  acts  which  his 
trainer  never  taught  him  and  of  which  he  never  thought 
him  capable  ;  besides  exercising  his  inventive  faculties  and 
comprehension  of  details,  he  is  on  the  alert  to  observe  that 
the  shooter  is  attentively  performing  his  part,  as  may  be 
observed  when  a  dog  slowly  turns  his  head  when  on  a  point 
and  looks  out  of  the  corner  of  his  eyes  to  see  if  his  master 
knows  the  situation  ;  or  when  he  abandons  his  point,  when 
concealed,  to  go  to  his  master  and  give  notice,  by  his  intel- 
ligent efforts  to  attract  attention,  that  he  has  found  birds. 
These  stages  of  transition,  while  being  distinct,  are  insensi- 
bly blended  together  in  training,  and  are  only  perceptible 
when  thoroughly  established. 

The  training  is  not  properly  completed  when  the  dog  has 
merely  reached  a  stage  in  which  he  is  accurate  and  steady 
in  all  details  of  work  and  education.  He  may  apparently 
be  trained,  but  it  has  no  permanency.  He  should  be  kept 
steadily  at  work  till  the  discipline  becomes  habitual,  and  all 
the  details  permanently  implanted  in  his  memory;  otherwise, 


76  MODERN    TRAINING. 

after  a  rest  of  a  few  weeks,  or  when  the  next  season  arrives, 
he  may  forget  or  disregard  his  training  entirely  ;  thus  it  is 
perceived  that  a  dog  may  have  the  appearance  of  being  per- 
manently trained  when  in  reality  he  is  not.  In  relation  to 
making  the  work  habitual,  it  should  be  noted  as  being  of 
special  importance  that  however  obstinate  a  dog  may  be  or 
however  difficult  to  induct  into  any  particular  method,  by 
long  continued  discipline  it  becomes  so  permanently  estab- 
lished and  habitual  that  it  is  second  nature.  Discipline,  in 
the  sense  here  used,  signifies  the  regular  and  formal  drilling 
which  is  necessary  to  permanently  establish  the  training,  and 
not  in  the  sense  which  implies  punishment  exclusively. 

Invariably  one  or  more  branches  will  be  readily  learned, 
while  others,  perhaps  more  simple,  drag  along  to  a  wearisome 
length  without  any  apparent  progress;  or  the  dog  may  be  able 
to  comprehend  it  imperfectly,or  may  have  a  faulty  execution. 
Uniform  progressiveness  in  each  branch  of  training,  by  one 
individual,  is  an  extremely  rare  occurrence.  Even  when  a 
dog  is  trained  in  all  other  branches,  there  is  usually  one 
branch  or  other  which  requires  days  or  weeks  to  finish.  For 
instance,  the  dog  may  not  back  well,  or  may  be  faulty  in 
retrieving,  or  may  have  some  cranky  notion,  etc.  The 
necessity  of  cultivating  as  much  as  possible  such  branches 
as  the  dog  is  backward  in,  is  self-evident.  The  amateur, 
however,  when  the  dog  learns  to  point,  is  predisposed  to 
give  his  attention  to  the  shooting  alone. 

In  the  training,  the  dominant  traits  of  character  of  the 
dog  should  be  noted  and  used  to  advantage,  if  they  are  ad- 
vantageous, or  suppressed  if  they  are  the  contrary.  It  is 
seldom  that  the  training  can  be  evenly  conducted.  The 
necessary  functional  powers  are  infrequently  present  in 
such  naturally  harmonious  relations  as  to  admit  of  each 
part  of  the  education  -being  equally  progressive,  one  with 
the  other.  From  natural  aptitude  and  liking,  the  dog  will 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  77 

have  some  special  feature  in  his  work  that  is  superior  to  all 
other  parts.  The  constant  cultivation  of  the  special  part 
renders  it  the  leading  accomplishment.  By  diverting  him 
from  his  preference  and  constantly  drilling  him  in  all 
branches,  the  weaker  ones  especially,  the  endeavor  should 
be  to  make  him  as  near  an  "all  round"  dog  as  possible. 
Due  consideration,  however,  must  be  given  to  peculiarities 
of  disposition  and  manner,  the  trainer  adapting  his  methods 
to  these  as  much  as  possible,  instead  of  attempting  to  reduce 
all  to  an  arbitrary  standard.  If  a  dog  is  allowed  to  indulge 
his  special  liking  or  faculty  without  any  restraint,  he  is  spe- 
cially fond  of  it  all  his  life,  and  may  be  .inferior  other- 
wise* Thus  there  are  "covey  dogs,"  which  range  wide  and 
fast  in  search  of  covies,  but  work  on  scattered  birds  with 
the  greatest  impatience,  and  are  constantly  on  the  alert  to 
break  away  from  such  irksome  work.  Others  are  only  use- 
ful on  scattered  birds,  or  in  retrieving,  etc. 

In  some  instances,  the  apparent  absence  of  any  improve- 
ment will  be  very  discouraging.  Notwithstanding  the  dili- 
gent efforts  of  the  trainer,  long  intervals  may  elapse  before  any 
perceptible  advance  is  made  in  teaching  certain  parts.  This 
backwardness  may  occur  in  any  part  or  parts,  or  the  dog 
may  apparently  be  advancing  when  a  relapse  occurs,  thereby 
necessitating  further  effort.  Occasionally  a  dog  will  be  met 
with  which  has  a  special  proclivity  for  doing  everything 
wrong.  The  attention  and  effort  required  to  correct  such 
idiosyncracies  are  very  tiresome.  Without  any  apparent 
cause,  he  may  develop  whimsicalities  in  parts  of  his  work 
which  will  impede  progress  in  all  of  it;  or  objectionable 
habits  may  be  formed  which  may  entirely  obstruct  training, 
or  render  the  dog  valueless.  For  instance,  one  experience 
which  the  author  had  with  a  dog  of  eccentric  character  will 
serve  purposes  of  illustration.  He  was  given  to  an  inex- 
haustible display  of  cranky  notions,  and  no  sooner  was  one 


yg  MODERN    TRAINING. 

corrected  than  another,  wholly  new  and  unexpected,  was 
sure  to  appear.  The  last  one  was  final.  He  learned  that, 
during  the  dry  season,  there  were  numbers  of  mice  in  the 
ditches,  which  are  run  in  parallels  and  intersect  each  other 
at  right  angles,  peculiar  to  the  plantations  in  certain  sections 
of  Louisiana,  thus  cutting  the  plantations  into  squares, 
varying  in  size  from  an  acre  to  several  acres  on  different 
plantations,  or  different  parts  of  the  same  plantation,  accord- 
ing to  the  requirements  of  drainage.  So  thoroughly  infat- 
uated did  he  become  in  searching  the  ditches  and  digging 
for  mice  that  he  entirely  abandoned  hunting  for  birds.  If 
removed  from  one  ditch,  he  immediately  went  to  the  next 
one.  If  punished  for  hunting  mice,  he  refused  to  hunt  at 
all,  and  in  time,  instead  of  improving,  he  became  wholly 
worthless  for  hunting.  All  this  goes  to  show  that  training 
dogs  is  not  uniformly  successful,  be  the  methods  never  so 
perfect,  which  is  opposed  to  the  inferences  derived  from  the 
writings  of  many  recognized  authorities.  It  is  beneficial  to 
know  that  there  are  discouragements  and  failures. to  be  met 
with;  that  there  are  parts  of  the  education  of  a  stupid, 
naturally  inferior  or  obstinate  dog  that  are  unutterably 
wearisome,  and  with  such  the  best  efforts  may  result  in  fail- 
ure. No  trainer  can  wholly  overcome  stupidity,  constitu- 
tional sulkiness,  laziness,  imperfections  in  nose,  stamina, 
speed,  hunting  instinct,  or  physical  infirmities.  If  a  dog  is 
worthless,  a  fine,  long  pedigree,  the  eminence  of  his  ances- 
try, the  merit  of  his  ownership,  avail  naught  against  the 
fact  of  his  individual  worthlessness.  The  pedigree,  while  it 
vouches  for  the  purity  of  the  blood,  kindly  leaves  the  ques- 
tion of  indvidual  merit  with  the  individual. 

The  importance  of  gradual  progression  has  already  been 
touched  upon.  This  is  particularly  essential  in  the  primary 
lessons.  It  is  of  transcendent  importance  to  make  the  be- 
ginning of  any  new  branch  as  simple  as  possible.  One 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  79 

thing  at  a  time,  distinct  and  separate  from  all  others,  should 
be  taught  till  the  dog  understands  and  remembers  it;  he  will 
thus  be  saved  much  perplexity  and  confusion,  constant  ad- 
vances will  be  made,  and  the  trainer  will  save  his  temper. 
It  may  appear  to  be  a  dilatory  system,  but  it  is  the  quickest 
and  the  best  in  the  end.  Any  forgetfulness  should  be 
treated  kindly,  a  lapse  of  memory  being  excusable.  Repe- 
titions of  the  lessons  will  correct  forgetfulness,  while  pun- 
ishment is  ineffective  and  injurious.  In  powers  of  memory, 
all  dogs,  except  in  rare  instances,  excel;  but  in  the  excep- 
tional case,  the  infirmity  should  not  be  mistaken  for  obsti- 
nacy. It  can  be  determined  by  the  dog's  apparent 
willingness  to  obey,  but  inability  to  do  so  from  confusion  of 
ideas,  or  when  given  an  order  to  perform  a  certain  act  he 
may  perform  another  entirely  different  act  which  he  has 
been  taught;  his  hesitancy  and  doubtful  air  at  times  under 
these  circumstances  indicate  his  feeling  of  uncertainty  as  to 
correctness.  This  confusion  of  ideas  may  be  caused  in 
clogs  of  good  memory,  by  attempting  to  teach,  hastily  and 
imperfectly,  several  things  during  the  same  lesson — palpably 
an  unskillful  method. 

While  a  small  part  of  the  dog's  education  is  necessarily 
compulsory,  the  punishment  required  is  much  less  than  is 
commonly  supposed.  The  trainer  should  endeavor  to  whip 
as  little  as  possible.  All  beginners  trust  too  much  to  force, 
regardless  of  the  temperament  of  the  dog.  Generally  the 
more  experience  a  trainer  has  had,  the  less  he  uses  the 
whip,  although  it  can  never  be  entirely  dispensed  with;  but 
it  can  be  reduced  in  its  application  to  a  minimum. 

Due  weight  should  be  given  to  the  important  and  pertinent 
facts  that,  in  giving  the  lessons,  the  dog's  attention  can  be 
held  too  long;  that  he  can  become  mentally  and  physically 
weary;  that  he  can  be  overworked;  that  he  can  become  dis- 
gusted by  bad  treatment  or  can  acquire  a  decidedly  obstruct- 


g0  MODERN   TRAINING. 

ive  dislike  to  his  handler;  that  he  can  be  overfed  or  underfed; 
that  his  health  and  spirits  are  not  always  the  same,  and  that 
he  is  not  always  bright  and  attentive.  It  should  be  remem- 
bered as  bearing  on  the  training  as  a  whole  or  in  part,  and 
worthy  of  repetition,  that  unless  a  dog  loves  his  handler  he 
never  performs  at  his  best.  For  the  master  that  he  loves,  a 
trained  dog,  properly  handled  and  kindly  treated,  delights 
in  his  work;  even  when  fatigued  and  hunting  has  ceased 
being  pleasurable  to  himself,  he  will  renew  his  exertions  for 
his  master's  enjoyment  When  a  dog,  which  has  no  serious 
faults  to  be  corrected,  will  run  away  or  shows  apprehensive 
or  distrustful  feelings  with  respect  to  his  handler,  there  is 
something  radically  wrong  in  the  system  of  training.  The 
trainer,  knowing  the  peculiarities  and  capabilities  of  his  dog, 
should  know  precisely  how  to  adjust  his  methods  to  be  in 
harmony  with  them;  but  if  his  dogs  all  fear  or  ignore  him, 
there  is  error  somewhere. 

To  simply  give  the  dog  a  lesson  and  then  see  him  no 
more  till  the  next  lesson  is  also  erroneous.  The  dog  soon 
has  only  unpleasant  associations  of  his  handler,  and  his 
coming  causes  painful  apprehension.  Only  by  making  a 
companion  of  him  can  he  become  truly  affectionate  and  de- 
pendent, being  happy  in  his  master's  presence,  and  anxious 
to  please. 

Every  dog  has  a  certain  individuality  in  his  methods, 
differing  in  some  respect  from  those  of  every  other  dog,  no 
two  dogs  being  alike  in  either  intelligence,  habits  or  form. 
The  amateur  often  attempts  to  shape  the  peculiarities  of 
the  dog  to  some  ideal  standard.  Such  efforts  are  futile. 
Do  not  imagine,  because  a  certain  dog  carries  a  high 
nose  and  is  a  brilliant  performer,  that  all  dogs  must 
perform  with  a  high  nose  or  that  it  is  possible  for  them  to 
do  so.  It  is  better  to  make  the  best  of  the  dog's  capabilities 
such  as  they  are.  If  he  carries  his  head  low  and  roads  his 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  8l 

birds  naturally,  it  is  better  to  encourage  proficiency  in  what 
he  can  do  than  failure  in  what  he  cannot  do.  For  this 
reason  any  artificial  appliance,  as  the  puzzle  peg  mentioned 
with  much  favor  by  some  authors,  is  wholly  worthless. 
This  should  not  be  confounded  with  appliances  which  are 
used  to  control  his  actions  and  not  his  manner  of  work, 
such  as  the  checkcord,  spike  collar,  etc.  To  attempt  to 
make  a  dog  into  something  other  than  he  is  naturally  is  to 
engage  in  dismal  efforts. 

It  will  be  observed  that,  directly  and  indirectly,  much 
importance  has  been  attached  to  the  dog's  rational  powers. 
In  their  powers  of  mind,  dogs  vary  quite  as  much,  making 
due  allowance  for  the  inferiority  in  grade,  as  the  degrees 
and  differences  of  variation  in  the  minds  of  men,  barring 
entirely  those  exclusively  high  cognitions  of  the  nobler 
animal  whereby  friendship  is  valued  according  to  its  finan- 
cial or  social  profit,  or  as  an  aid  to  ambition. 

All  these  generalities  are  of  the  greatest  importance  in 
teaching  particulars.  The  trainer,  to  be  successful,  must 
have  a  knowledge  of  them  first  or  last,  if  he  can  do  so. 
However,  as  in  every  other  art  requiring  tact  and  address, 
there  will  be  men  who  will  excel  all  others. 


g2  MODERN    TRAINING. 


CHAPTER  V. 

INSTRUMENTS    USED    IN    TRAINING. — THEIR    USES. 

The  spike  collar  has  been  the  subject  of  the  most  un- 
qualified praise  and  most  unqualified  condemnation;  it  has 
been  claimed  that  it  is  applicable  and  efficient  in  every 
branch  of  a  dog's  education,  and  the  most  extravagant 
quickness  and  perfection  of  results  have  been  ascribed  to 
its  use. 

Much  can  be  said  for  and  against  it,  not  from  any  inher- 
ent virtues  or  vices  in  the  collar,  but  accordingly  as  it  is  used 
skillfully  or  otherwise.  Unquestionably,  men  of  uncontroll- 
able temper  and  vicious  propensities  inflict  terrible  torture, 
and  sometimes  maim  or  destroy  the  dog  with  it,  yet  it  is 
only  a  means  to  their  brutality  ;  in  its  absence,  the  whip  or 
boot  would  more  than  probably  take  its  place.  For  such 
men  the  collar  is  wholly  unfit  as  a  useful  instrument  in 
training,  and  the  men  are  wholly  unfit  for  trainers.  Even 
in  the  hands  of  a  novice  whose  temper  and  intentions  are 
the  kindliest,  a  great  deal  of  unnecessary  pain  is  inflicted 
from  imperfect  knowledge  of  methods  and  dog  nature, 
awkward  manipulation,  and  from  failure  to  note  the  painful 
effects  of  punishment.  The  writer  has  seen  the  lesson 
abandoned  and  the  most  disgraceful  barbarity  exhibited 
from  loss  of  temper.  Such  is  not  dog  training  in  any 
sense  of  the  term  ;  and  the  vicious  temper  of  the  trainer 
cannot  be  ascribed  to  the  properties  of  the  collar.  When 
used  merely  to  gratify  such  temper,  it  ceases  to  be  an  in- 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  83 

strument  of  education  ;  and  ill-natured  punishment  should 
not  be  confounded  with  training.  The  distinction  is  very 
positive  ;  the  two  purposes  are  not  even  remotely  related 
to  each  other.  Barbarity,  \vhich  justly  excites  the  most  in- 
tense indignation,  is  considered,  by  uninformed  spectators, 
as  being  a  necessary  adjunct  to  the  collar,  if  they  have  un- 
fortunately seen  it  applied  in  a  disgraceful  manner,  naturally 
inferring  that  such  manner  is  the  approved  one  of  using  it. 
The  injurious  effects  of  the  collar,  when  used  with  unnec- 
essary violence,  are  not  transient.  The  terrible  punish- 
ment never  fails  to  cow  the  dog,  or  make  him  nervously 
apprehensive,  or  cripple  him  by  breaking  down  his  con- 
stitution, or  by  injuring  his  neck  and  spine  from  the  vio- 
lent shocks.  Partial  or  complete  paralysis  may  be  produced 
by  excessive  violence ;  and  many  instances  are  known 
where  dogs  have  been  killed  outright.  Contrary  to  the 
general  exposition  of  its  advantages  by  its  advocates,  the 
spike  collar  will  cow  a  dog  if  unskillfully  used.  There  is 
less  demonstration  in  its  use  than  in  the  use  of  the  whip, 
but  it  will  have  similar  cowing  effects  in  time.  Dogs  which 
are  punished  regularly  and  severely  with  it  may  not  show 
positively  disabling  effects,  but  they  gradually  become 
more  and  more  listless  and  less  vigorous  ;  and  this  broken 
down  state  may  last  for  months  or  for  life.  The  novice, 
observing  the  falling  off  in  working  capabilities  afield,  im- 
putes it  to  the  effects  of  field  work  or  deficient  stamina;  he 
would  be  more  likely  to  find  the  cause  in  the  abuse  of  the 
collar,  if  he  uses  one.  Many  dogs  have  been  completely 
ruined  by  it,  but  such  effects  were  the  natural  conse- 
quences of  ignorance  of  its  proper  use,  and  the  injurious 
effects. 

As  between  those  who  claim  every  advantage  for  it  and 
those  who  claim  every  ill,  its  true  place  will  be  found  to  be 
intermediate.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  spike  collar  should 


84  MODERN    TRAINING. 

have  but  a  limited  place  in  a  dog's  education,  namely,  to 
make  retrieving  compulsory,  to  break  bad  cases  of  un- 
steadiness and  to  force  a  dog  to  come  in  promptly  to  order. 
It  may  be  used  transiently  for  other  purposes,  but  such  are 
merely  incidental.  When  used  skillfully  for  these  purposes, 
it  has  no  equal  in  thoroughness  and  effectiveness.  A  force 
collar  should  be  used  with  spikes  in  it  -or  not  at  all.  The 
dog  will  not  struggle  against  spikes ;  the  force  neces- 
sary to  be  applied  to  a  plain  collar  so  shocks  the  dog's 
whole  system  that  positive  injury  is  inflicted. 

The  great  error  lies  in  assuming  that  any  man  can  take  a 
spike  collar  and  apply  it  to  training  purposes  without  prior 
experience.  No  man  can  use  it  properly  in  the  beginning. 
The  first  dogs  which,  unfortunately  for  them,  afford  the  ex- 
perience always  suffer  for  it  aside  from  educational  con- 
siderations. It  would  be  as  reasonable  to  assume  that  a 
novice  could  take  a  gun  afield  and  shoot  skillfully  at  his 
first  attempt  as  that  he  could  use  the  collar  properly. 

It  is  recognized  by  experts  as  a  very  effective  and  useful 
instrument  in  certain  branches  of  the  dog's  education. 
When  applied  properly  the  advantages  are  great;  the  dog 
is  more  thoroughly  obedient,  the  orders  obeyed  with  greater 
perfection  and  precision;  the  control  gained  in  one  branch 
likewise  affects  all  other  branches;  the  effect  of  training  is 
more  permanent,  and  the  general  education  is  more  uniform 
and  perfect.  Except  in  the  case  of  obstinate  dogs,  there  is 
no  occasion  to  use  sufficient  force  to  shock  the  dog's  system, 
and  with  them  there  is  no  need  of  inflicting  permanent  in- 
jury. The  amateur  should  carefully  note  its  effects,  and 
proceed  in  the  training  with  the  greatest  deliberation.  It 
requires  manual  dexterity  to  manipulate  the  collar  properly, 
which  can  only  be  acquired  by  practice.  If  there  is  a  rope 
on  the  collar,  it  should  be  the  proper  length  for  the  purpose 
used,  and  the  trainer  should  endeavor  to  avoid  getting 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING. 


8.5 


awkwardly  entangled  in  it.  If  he  cannot  apply  the  collar 
without  becoming  impatient  and  angry,  it  is  better  to  aban- 
don its  use  entirely.  The  collar  is  useful,  but  a  violent  man 
is  out  of  place  as  a  trainer  with  it. 

In  forcing  a  dog  to  retrieve,  it  is  better  to  apply  it  with 
just  sufficient  force  to  punish  the  dog  a  little,  and  proceed 
with  the  greatest  deliberation.  The  first  advances  may  ap- 
parently be  slow  but  they  will  be  sure,  and  in  the  end  will 
be  more  expeditious.  By  this  course  the  dog  is  not  cowed, 
does  not  acquire  a  dislike  of  his  handler  and  is  not  injured. 
When  the  punishment  is  severe,  it  invariably  causes  terror, 
dislike,  confusion  of  ideas,  and  from  the  pain  suffered  all 
kinds  of  erratic  notions  are  exhibited.  Much  time  is  lost  in 
correcting  these  eccentricities;  in  the  gradual  manner  of 
developing  the  dog's  ideas  and  obedience,  all  these  are 
avoided. 

The  efficiency  of  the  collar  depends  much  on  its  con- 
struction. Many  collars  which  are  on  the  market  are 
wholly  worthless  or  nearly  so. 


THE    SPIKE    COLLAR. 


SECTIONAL  VIEW. 


Herewith  is  given  an  illustration  of  an  excellent  spike 
collar.  It  is  very  simple  in  construction,  yet  it  is  very  effec- 
tive, easy  to  carry  in  the  pocket,  and  has  fewer  undesirable 
features  than  any  other,  and  is  not  patented.  As  will  be 
seen  by  the  diagram,  it  is  both  a  spike  and  choke  collar.  It 
should  be  made  of  the  very  best  quality  of  harness  leather, 


86  MODERN    TRAINING. 

but  the  latter  should  not  be  over  one-eighth  of  an  inch  in 
thickness.  The  long  strap  should  be  twenty-two  inches  in 
length  and  an  inch  and  a  quarter  in  width.  The  short 
strap,  including  both  buckle  and  ring,  should  not  exceed 
five  inches.  For  obvious  reasons  the  buckle  should  be 
square  ;  the  oblong,  marked  B,  should  also  be  square  in  the 
corners,  thus  preventing  the  collar  from  rolling  and  throw- 
ing the  spikes'  points  upward,  if  the  dog  takes  a  few  turns. 
This  square  should  be  made  of  tough  steel  rod,  three-six- 
teenths of  an  inch  in  diameter,  and  in  dimensions  one  and 
one-quarter  inches  by  one-half  inch  in  the  clear.  Having 
an  oblong  in  place  of  a  ring  is  a  very  important  feature,  as 
all  those  who  have  used  a  collar  much  will  readily  perceive. 
A  ring  allows  the  collar  to  twist,  and  this  is  a  source  of  con- 
stant annoyance  and  obstruction  in  the  training.  The  dis- 
tance from  the  oblong  B  to  the  spikes  C  should  be  ten 
inches.  The  spikes  nearest  B  should  be  one  and  three- 
quarter  inches  from  the  oblong,  and  the  remaining  spikes 
should  be  half-way  between  C  and  the  spikes  nearest  B. 
The  spikes  should  project  five-eighths  of  an  inch.  The  ring 
A  should  be  one  and  one-eighth  inches  in  diameter.  The 
spikes  should  be  one-quarter  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  and 
the  points  should  be  blunt  and  short.  A  very  good  illustra- 
tion of  the  spikes  is  given  in  the  sectional  view  of  the  collar 
herewith  given.  The  spikes  are  screwed  through  a  narrow 
steel  plate,  one-eighth  of  an  inch  in  thickness.  The  dia- 
gram will  show  the  remainder  of  the  construction  without 
further  explanation. 

Besides  the  direct  uses  of  the  collar  in  training,  it  has 
very  advantageous  incidental  effects.  If  it  is  put  on  a  dog's 
neck  in  field  work,  if  he  has  had  some  training  with  it,  he 
will  be  comparatively  steady  and  obedient.  He  might  re- 
fuse to  retrieve  a  bird  without  the  collar  on  his  neck,  and 
retrieve  it  nicely  with  it  on.  By  taking  advantage  of  this 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  87 

peculiarity,  a  great  deal  of  unnecessary  trouble  can,  at  times, 
be  avoided. 

In  forcing  large,  heavy,  obstinate  dogs  to  retrieve,  it  is 
much  better  to  use  both  the  spike  collar  and  whip.  A  dog 
which  weighs  sixty  or  seventy  pounds  has  so  much  weight 
that  a  severe  jerk  shocks  the  trainer  as  much  as  it  does  the 
dog.  The  trainer's  shoulder  or  arm  will  be  badly  strained 
or  lamed,  particularly  if  he  has  three  or  four  heavy  dogs  in 
training  at  the  same  time.  The  manner  of  conjointly  apply- 
ing the  whip  and  collar  is  described  in  the  chapter  on 
retrieving. 

A  whip  of  medium  weight  is  the  best.  The  abomina- 
tions which  are  heavily  loaded  with  iron  in  the  handle 
should  be  severely  condemned.  They  are  unnecessary  and 
have  a  suggestion  of  brutality  that  is  not  in  accord  with  the 
loving  nature  of  the  dog  or  the  purposes  of  an  education. 
There  are  too  many  novices  who  are  disposed  to  use  the 
wrong  end  of  the  whip.  An  ordinary  one  is  severe  enough. 
To  gain  an  idea  of  its  effects,  the  trainer  may  permit  some 
friend  to  give  him  a  middling  sharp  cut  with  it,  and  there- 
from he  will  have  a  keener  perception  of  its  effects  on  the 
dog.  A  whip  should  be  a  whip,  plain  and  simple.  A  com- 
bined whistle,  whip,  slingshot  and  dog  lead,  is  a  snare  and 
a  delusion.  A  snap  on  the  end  of  the  whip  is  useful  to  at- 
tach it  to  a  loop  on  the  coat,  some  sportsmen  preferring  to 
carry  them  thus  on  the  outside  instead  of  in  the  pocket.  A 
better  way  is  to  have  a  small  ring  sewed  on  the  inside  of  the 
breast  of  the  hunting  coat  to  which  the  whip  can  be  at- 
tached. A  pocket  should  be  made,  six  inches  underneath, 
for  the  lash,  which  can  be  rolled  up  easily,  to  rest  in.  It 
can  be  gotten  at  quickly,  and  has  not  the  untidy  appearance 
which  it  has  when  hanging  loosely  outside  of  the  coat. 

The  whip  is  indispensable  in  dog  training.  Not  that  it 
is  a  constant  necessity,  but  that  at  such  times  as  its  use  is 


88  MODERN    TRAINING. 

indicated,  it  is  then  required.  The  moral  effect  of  its  pres- 
ence is  a  great  governing  influence  with  headstrong  dogs. 
Timid  dogs  even  will  require  a  little  application  of  it  before 
their  education  is  completed.  By  proper  handling,  a  timid 
or  cowardly  dog  can  be  whipped  without  cowing  him. 
When  they  are  sufficiently  advanced  to  correct  their  offences, 
the  whip  can  be  used  lightly  on  them,  merely  the  weight  of 
the  lash  without  any  force  to  it,  if  necessary.  By  also  show- 
ing and  cracking  it  occasionally,  the  dog  becomes  familiar 
with  the  sight  of  it,  then  it  can  be  applied  with  the  nec- 
essary punishing  force.  Obstinate  dogs  should  also  become 
familiar  with  the  sight  of  it.  There  is  no  surer  way  to  make 
an  untrained  dog  whip-shy  than  to  associate  certain  punish- 
ment with  the  act  of  taking  the  whip  in  the  hand.  After 
the  timid  dog  has  been  whipped  once  so  that  pain  is  in- 
flicted, merely  cracking  the  whip  will  be  sufficient  warning 
to  dogs  of  such  very  mild  dispositions,  for  a  time,  for  sub- 
sequent offences;  indeed,  a  mere  reproof  is  punishment  to 
some  dogs. 

Hard-headed,  obstinate  dogs  require  much  more  pun- 
ishment; and  there  are  dogs  which  require  good,  honest 
thrashings  frequently  repeated;  in  fact,  with  some  the  occa- 
sion occurs  with  periodical  exactness.  The  trainer  can  observe 
all  the  little  premonitory  signs  that  lead  to  the  repetition  of  a 
fault,  and,  by  experience,  the  dog  knows  equally  well  that 
he  has  committed  the  fault,  yet  will  do  it  with  a  full  knowl- 
edge that  he  has  to  suffer  punishment.  With  such  dogs  the 
punishment  should  always  follow  the  fault,  and  with  every 
recurrence,  it  should  be  increased.  Dogs  of  certain  dispo- 
sitions can  be  corrected  by  mixed  reproof  or  punishment. 
Except  with  the  dog  which  willfully  and  knowingly  commits 
a  fault,  good  training  does  not  necessarily  consist  in  punish- 
ing for  a  fault  every  time  it  is  committed.  It  consists  in  de- 
veloping the  dog's  capabilities  by  such  system  as  accords 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  89 

with  his  capabilities  and  peculiarities.  Many  faults  can  be 
cured  without  inflicting  pain;  in  fact  many,  such  as  false 
pointing,  blinking,  gun  shyness,  fear  of  the  handler,  etc.,  are 
intensely  aggravated  by  it. 

The  whipping  should  be  administered  as  nearly  under 
the  same  circumstances,  respecting  any  particular  fault,  as 
possible,  to  the  end  that  the  dog  can  properly  comprehend 
and  associate  the  punishment.  Also  judgment  is  required 
to  determine  the  right  juncture  to  give  the  proper  quantity, 
and  withal  to  retain  control  over  him.  It  is  injudicious  to 
release  a  dog  as  soon  as  he  has  been  whipped.  Hold  him 
till  such  time  as  he  regains  his  composure  ;  and  if  he  evinces 
an  undue  desire  to  get  away,  he  should  not  be  released  if 
there  is  a  probability  that  he  will  bolt.  The  trainer,  know- 
ing all  his  peculiarities,  can  easily  forecast  his  purpose.  A 
long  cod-line  can  be  put  on  him  if  there  is  danger  that  he 
will  run  away,  and  by  this  means  he  can  be  prevented. 
After  punishing  a  dog  it  is  better  to  refrain  from  giving 
any  orders  till  he  resumes  his  work.  At  all  times  the 
trainer's  manner  should  be  kind,  but  no  frivolity  should  be 
indulged  in. 

Dogs  will  be  met  with  which,  from  self-will  and  the 
absence  of  any  of  the  natural  affection  which  nearly  all 
dogs  feel  for  a  trainer  who  treats  them  kindly,  can  only  be 
controlled  by  reducing  them  to  a  state  of  fear.  Fortunately 
dogs  of  such  cold-blooded,  self-hunting  natures  are  very 
uncommon  ;  however,  the  trait  varies  from  the  mild  degrees 
to  the  most  intense,  the  latter  being  infrequent.  To  show 
the  necessity  of  severe  and  regularly  repeated  punishments, 
the  author  will  mention  an  instance  which  was  in  his  own 
experience  ;  one  of  many,  yet  the  worst  one  of  all.  It  was 
still  more  remarkable  from  the  fact  that  the  dog  was  a 
pointer,  he  being  of  a  breed  which,  when  trained,  is  almost 
uniformly  disposed  to  work  to  the  gun.  During  the  first  two 


g0  MODERN    TRAINING. 

or  three  weeks  he  was  given  his  head  ;  he  quickly  learned 
the  scent  of  game  and  how  to  point  for  an  instant,  but,  in- 
auspiciously  for  subsequent  training,  when  he  flushed  and 
chased,  he  manifested  the  utmost  indifference  as  to  the 
whereabouts  of  his  handler.  He  was  a  dog  possessing 
wonderful  powers  of  speed,  wind  and  endurance.  After 
he  found  the  first  bevy  of  chickens,  his  first  experience  be- 
ing on  the  prairie,  a  chase  ensued  and  thereafter  an  occa- 
sional glimpse  of  him  would  be  caught  as  he  galloped  over 
a  swell  in  the  prairie  a  mile  or  more  away.  His  nose  was 
exquisitely  keen  ;  the  manner  in  which  he,  carrying  a  high 
nose,  would  gallop  to  a  bevy, Was  most  admirable  ;  but  the 
subsequent  proceedings  were  quite  the  reverse.  A  few 
whippings,  such  as  would  have  beneficial  effects  on  an 
ordinary  dog,  seemed  to  infuse  fresh  vigor  and  determi- 
nation into  him,  he  being  quite  willing  to  understand  that 
the  punishment  was  for  failing  to  catch  the  birds  instead  of 
for  attempting  to  catch  them.  He  was  going  from  bad  to 
worse.  The  brief  points  were  abandoned  as  being  entirely 
too  slow  for  his  purpose,  and  punishment  was  exasperat- 
ingly  ineffective.  Chickens,  at  that  time,  were  very  plenti- 
ful, hence  opportunities  for  a  dog  to  point  or  flush  were 
frequent.  One  day,  immediately  after  the  dog  had  had  a 
tremendous  chase,  a  large  bevy  was  nicely  scattered  in  long 
grass.  A  very  long  cod  line  was  fastened  to  his  spike  collar, 
and  he  was  not  permitted  to  get  beyond  control.  .On  the 
rise  of  the  first  bird,  he  started  to  chase  with  his  customary 
vim,  but  the  cod  line  held  him,  and  he  received  a  good 
thrashing.  After  the  punishment,  he  would  give  himself  a 
vigorous  shake,  not  unlike  that  which  a  dog  gives  on  com- 
ing out  of  water,  and  was  then  as  calm  and  indifferent  as 
if  nothing  had  occurred.  Briefly,  he  repeatedly  flushed 
and  was  repeatedly  whipped  for  about  two  hours  in  succes- 
sion ;  his  hide  was  completely  checkered  with  welts,  and  a 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  91 

new  whip  was  worn  out  on  him  ;  but  before  the  afternoon 
ended  he  would  point.  It  might  seem  as  if  such  severity 
was  unnecessary,  but,  severe  though  it  was,  its  effects  were 
transient.  It  was  necessary  to  keep  a  checkcord  on  him 
all  summer,  and,  had  his  merits  been  ordinary,  he  would 
not  have  been  worth  the  trouble  of  training.  The  whip- 
pings had  to  be  repeated  day  after  day  during  the  whole 
season,  till  at  last  he  would  work  steadily  through  combined 
habit  and  fear,  although  he  never  did  become  reliable. 
Even  when  trained,  in  his  second  season,  if  one  fault  was 
permitted  to  pass  unpunished,  he  rapidly  thereafter  became 
unmanageable.  Whipping  never  cowed  him,  and  only  had 
transient  beneficial  effects.  A  good  thrashing  before  he 
was  cast  off  in  the  morning  always  had  salutary  effects  ; 
if  not  given  then,  it  would  be  necessary  shortly  afterward. 
A  dog  of  a  colder  nature  never  lived.  He  was  naturally  a 
self-hunter,  and  only  hunted  to  the  gun  as  a  matter  of 
arbitrary  routine.  Moral  suasion  would  be  as  completely 
lost  on  him  as  would  a  puff  of  breath  into  vacuity. 

In  applying  punishment  with  the  whip  for  faults  in  field 
work,  due  attention  must  be  paid  to  contingent  circum- 
stances, ones  which  perhaps  may  require  the  fault  to  be  un- 
noticed. For  instance,  a  dog  might  willfully  flush  a  bevy, 
and  immediately  thereafter  might  point  an  out-lying  bird  ; 
if  punished  then,  he  is  quite  as  likely  to  consider  that  the 
punishment  was  inflicted  for  pointing  as  for  flushing.  Sim- 
ple as  this  seems,  there  are  many  amateurs  who  will  riot 
consider  such  circumstances,  notwithstanding  the  bad 
effects  which  ensue.  By  disregarding  such  essentials,  or 
not  even  considering  them,  a  great  deal  of  unnecessary  and 
injurious  punishment  is  inflicted,  and  complications  pro- 
duced. Skillful  trainers  always  use  the  whip  or  collar 
much  less  than  amateurs.  The  latter  are  always  disposed 
to  apply  excessive  punishment  from  assuming  that  every 


g2  MODERN    TRAINING. 

fault  shown  should  be  visited  with  instant  and  severe  pun- 
ishment.  Careful  discrimination  should  be  observed  as  to 
errors  arising  from  inexperience,  or  accident,  or  design. 
With  the  average  dog,  mild  corrections  repeated  with  each 
recurrence  of  the  fault  will  have  much  better  effect  than 
attempting  to  cure  it  at  one  effort.  It  is  also  worthy  of 
note  that  heavy  whippings,  long  continued,  will  have  the 
some  pernicious  effects  on  the  constitution  that  similar  pun- 
ishment has  from  the  spike  collar. 

To  such  men  as  do  not  hesitate  to  kick  their  dogs  (the 
number  is  not  so  few  as  might  be  supposed),  there  is  but  a 
waste  of  time  in  describing  the  worse  than  brutality  of  the 
act.  Unhampered  by  the  restraints  of  law  and  without 
fear  from  the  known  helplessness  of  their  dogs,  they  simply 
show  their  real  nature. when  free  from  restraint. 

The  whistle  is  a  very  important  instrument  in  handling  a 
dog  when  afield.  It  should  have  a  full  tone,  of  medium 
pitch,  such  whistle  being  easier  to  blow  and  more  effective 
since  it  can  be  heard  further  than  one  which  produces 
a  shrill,  thin  tone,  or  a  large  one  which  produces  a 
low,  heavy  one.  A  whistle  is  all  that  is  necessary  as  a 
whistle.  The  metal  double  barreled  affairs,  with  tones  like 
a  miniature  fog  horn,  are  cumbersome  to  carry,  offensively 
noisy,  and  moreover  are  unnecessary. 

A  metal  whistle  is  very  objectionable  for  constant  use. 
The  oxide,  which  is  sure  to  accumulate,  is  very  disagreeable 
to  the  taste,  and  it  will  make  the  mouth  sore.  In  frosty 
weather,  from  being  full  of  frost,  it  is  particularly  disagree- 
able. The  hardness  and  weight  of  the  metal  are  also  un- 
pleasant to  the  teeth. 

The  best  whistles  are  made  of  wood,  deer  horn  or  cellu- 
loid, the  latter  being  very  neat,  light,  and  of  good  tone;  and 
all  are  free  from  the  objectionable  qualities  of  metal  whistles. 
Whatever  kind  is  used,  it  should  have  a  mouthpiece  so 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  93 

shaped  that  it  can  be  held  easily  in  the  mouth  without  the 
assistance  of  the  hands.  When  in  use,  it  should  be  tied  to 
the  coat  near  the  collar  by  a  strong  string,  about  twelve 
inches  long,  thus  being  convenient  for  use.  Nearly  all 
hunting  coats  have  a  small  pocket  near  the  collar,  purposely 
for  the  whistle  to  be  carried  in. 

One  whistle  is  sufficient  for  the  purposes  of  handling  or 
training  a  dog,  although  some  good  trainers  use  two  or 
three,  but  the  refinement  partakes  of  unskillfulness,  and  be- 
sides it  is  unnecessarily  troublesome.  The  tones  of  one 
whistle  can  be  varied  and  modulated  sufficiently  to  give 
distinct  signals  for  all  the  purposes  for  which  it  is  used. 

No  dog  can  be  considered  as  being  well  trained  unless  he 
is  at  least  passably  obedient  to  the  whistle.  He  can  be 
taught  to  perform  any  act  to  it  that  he  is  taught  to  observe 
by  oral  commands,  but  in  practical  work  it  is  commonly 
used  to  give  the  signal  Come  in,  the  signal  to  turn  at  the 
end  of  a  cast,  or  to  turn  when  he  is  going  in  a  straight  line 
ahead  of  his  handler.  It  can  also  be  used  advantageously 
to  give  a  signal  for  a  dog  to  go  steadily  and  slowly  when 
working  on  scattered  birds;  a  low  note,  softly  modulated, 
just  loud  enough  to  be  heard,  is  much  better  than  using  the 
voice  when  birds  are  wild.  The  whistle  is  also  used  to  give 
a  note  to  attract  the  dog's  attention  that  he  may  see  a  sig- 
nal of  the  hand.  If  the  trainer  has  sufficient  persistence, 
patience  and  skill,  he  can  train  his  dogs  so  that  they  will 
work  entirely  to  motion  and  whistle,  this  being  more  refined 
than  the  use  of  the  voice;  but  such  finish  requires  many 
working  opportunities  to  educate  the  dog  to  such  perfection, 
and  the  perfection  is  not  attained  till  the  second  season. 
Continuous  whistling  is  unnecessary,  offensive,  and  defeats 
the  purposes  of  a  whistle.  It  loses  all  meaning  and  associ- 
ation when  used  in  season  and  out  of  season.  The  habit 
grows,  and  eventually  the  trainer  whistles  unconsciously 


94 


MODERN    TRAINING. 


and  perpetually,  whether  there  is  need  of  it  or  not.  Such 
is  insufferably  annoying  to  a  companion,  particularly  if  he 
has  a  well-broken  dog  at  work.  Professional  handlers  are 
not  all  free  from  this  disagreeable  practice,  as  may  be  ob- 
served in  the  methods  of  the  more  unskillful  while  handling 
their  dogs  at  the  field  trials.  Hence  it  is  evident  that  the 
whistle  should  only  be  used  when  necessary,  and  then  should 
always  have  the  correct  notes  on  it  to  signal  the  desired 
order.  If  the  trainer  should  make  a  mistake  in  the  signal 
and  the  dog  should  obey  it,  it  is  better  to  let  him  continue, 
as  two  or  three  different  signals  only  tend  to  confusion. 
The  error  can  be  corrected  a  few  minutes  later. 

Nearly  every  trainer  has  his  own  peculiar  signals,  there 
being  nothing  conventional  in  this  respect.  At  field  trials 
particularly,  it  has  been  learned  by  experience  that  it  is  un- 
desirable to  have  uniformity  of  signals,  one  handler,  when 
like  signals  are  observed,  being  able  to  slyly  manage  another 
handler's  dog.  It  is  also  very  undesirable,  when  hunting 
with  a  companion,  to  have  one's  dog  minding  his  compan- 
ion's whistle,  or  nice  versa. 

.  Many  men  acquire  a  bad  habit  of  carrying  the  whistle  in 
the  mouth  continually,  therefrom  frequently  acquiring  the 
habit  of  blowing  it  excessively.  It  looks  much  better  to 
blow  it  when  required  and  carry  it  in  the  pocket  the  re- 
mainder of  the  time;  otherwise  it  will  surely  be  blown  un- 
necessarily, and  the  act  will  soon  become  habitual.  When 
noise  and  violence  once  become  a  fixed  habit,  they  are 
seldom  cured. 

The  checkcord  has  many  useful  places  in  a  dog's  educa- 
tion. It  serves  to  keep  him  under  control  if  he  is  unsteady 
on  point,  back,  or  to  shot  and  wing.  It  is  of  constant  use 
in  giving  the  preparatory  yard  lessons. 

A  braided  checkcord  is  the  best,  it  being  more  flexible 
and  less  liable  to  kinkiness.  Different  sizes  are  required  for 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING. 


95 


different  dogs,  and  different  purposes.  For  work  in  cover 
it  is  better  to  have  it  tarred.  It  is  evident  that  a  heavy, 
strong,  obstinate  dog  requires  a  stronger  line  to  hold  him 
than  a  small  or  timid  one;  the  larger  line  is  easier  to  hold  in 
the  hands,  and  less  painful  also.  A  quarter  inch  line  is 
large  enough  for  all  ordinary  purposes  with  the  average  dog. 
In  breaking  confirmed  cases  of  breaking  shot  or  chasing,  a 
three-eighth  inch  line  is  necessary.  In  teaching  the  first 
lessons  in  retrieving,  a  half  inch  rope  is  the  right  size,  on 
account  of  less  pain  or  injury  to  the  hands.  Long  check- 
cords  are  seldom  required.  The  shorter  a  checkcord  is 
consistently  with  the  purpose  in  view,  the  better.  There  is 
no  occasion  when  one  which  is  over  twenty  feet  will  be  re- 
quired, except  the  instances  where  it  is  desired  to  give  a 
bolter  plenty  of  room  to  run  with  a  long  checkcord,  to  give 
him  a  snubbing;  then  it  can  be  used  to  advantage.  In  gen- 
eral field  work,  a  long  checkcord  becomes  tangled,  awkward 
to  handle,  and  inefficient.  Expert  trainers  use  them  only  in 
special  instances  in  field  work,  the  greater  part  of  the  edu- 
cation being  given  without  them;  however,  it  is  always 
advisable  to  carry  one  so  that  it  is  available  for  use  if 
needed.  It  should  be  neatly  coiled  and  tied  so  that  it  can 
be  used  instantly.  One  which  is  tangled  and  snarled  is  but 
a  short  remove  from  none. 


MODERN    TRAINING. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

COMMANDS. 

All  signals  and  oral  orders,  to  which  the  dog  is  taught 
obedience,  may  be  considered  under  one  generic  head, 
namely,  commands.  The  chief  distinction  is  in  the  manner 
of  delivery,  and  not  in  the  mental  activities  which  they  pro- 
duce in  the  dog;  considering  the  subject  only  as  it  relates  to 
the  dog's  perceptive  powers. 

The  commands,  by  the  medium  of  sound,  such  as  those 
delivered  with  the  voice,  the  whistle,  the  gun,  or  the  sound 
produced  by  the  whirr  of  wings,  are  conveyed  to  the  cog- 
nition of  the  dog  through  the  sense  of  hearing;  the  signals, 
by  the  sense  of  sight;  a  touch,  by  sense  of  feeling.  Identi- 
cal meanings  can  be  conveyed  through  the  different  senses 
by  appealing  to  them  under  circumstances  which  come  within 
their  powers.  Thus  the  order  Drop,  a  command  by  voice,  or 
the  report  of  a  gun,  or  the  whirr  of  wings,  is  conveyed  to 
the  mind  through  the  sense  of  hearing;  the  signal  to  drop 
is  conveyed  by  the  sense  of  sight;,  a  touch  of  the  whip  on 
the  shoulder,  which  signifies  that  the  dog  is  to  drop,  is  per- 
ceived through  the  sense  of  feeling;  yet  each  one  of  these 
commands,  distinct  in  form,  yet  the  same  in  meaning,  can 
be  associated  alike  in  the  mind  with  the  same  ideas  and  the 
associated  act  of  obedience.  As  these  are  all  the  senses 
which  are  directly  appealed  to  in  enforcing  obedience,  the 
others  are  not  worthy  of  consideration  in  this  relation.  By 
thus  tracing  these  similarities  of  principles  in  conveying 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  97 

knowledge,  and  similarity  of  cognition  in  acquiring  it,  a 
more  orderly  and  systematic  theory  and  practice  of  training 
are  established.  Ordinarily,  every  distinct  branch,  some- 
times parts  of  the  same  branch,  is  considered  and  treated  by 
authors  as  being  not  related  either  in  methods  or  ideas, 
— a  wholly  erroneous  conception.  While  the  act  of  know- 
ing is  through  the  mediation  of  entirely  distinct  organs  of 
sense,  the  principle  of  training  is  the  same  in  all  branches, 
namely,  to  associate  certain  forms  of  obedience  with  certain 
fixed  forms  of  command,  whether  such  commands  are 
sounds  or  signals. 

While  it  is  necessary  in  training  to  associate  the  com- 
mand with  the  required  act  of  obedience,  it  should  not  for 
a  moment  be  considered  that  the  dog's  powers  of  under- 
standing are  limited  to  a  simple  corresponding  association 
of  ideas.  Such  is  merely  the  inceptive  form  of  knowing 
and  does  not  differ  materially  from  the  primary  forms  of 
teaching  the  infant  human  subject,  as  for  instance,  in  object 
teaching;  or  the  more  complex  forms  in  the  adult,  as  asso- 
ciating certain  ideas  with  certain  words,  certain  sounds  with 
certain  objects,  even  if  the  objects  are  absent;  certain  ideas 
with  certain  other  ideas,  etc.,  which  is  abstract  knowledge. 

The  words  of  command  and  signals  in  common  use  are 
as  follows: 

Come  in  is  the  order  which  denotes  that  the  dog  is  to 
come  directly  to  the  handler  without  delay.  A  beckon  of 
the  hand  has  a  like  significance.  A  prolonged  blast  on  the 
whistle  is  the  order  which  has  a  corresponding  meaning, 
although,  in  respect  to  the  common  use  of  the  whistle,  these 
are  not  constant  or  uniform  signals. 

Hie  on  or  go  on  is  the  order  to  begin  hunting.  If  the 
dog  is  at  heel,  a  click  with  the  tongue,  or  a  slight  motion 
with  the  forefinger,  are  equivalent  signals. 

Heel    is  the  order  which  denotes  that  the  dog  is  to 


pg  MODERN    TRAINING. 

get  behind  his  handler  and  there  remain  until  ordered 
out.  A  slight  wave  of  the  hand  to  the  rear  has  the  same 
significance. 

Drop,  charge,  down  charge,  denote  that  the  dog  is  to  lie 
down  and  remain  in  that  position  till  ordered  up.  The 
right  or  left  hand  and  forearm  raised  perpendicularly  is  the 
signal  to  drop. 

Hold  up  denotes  that  the  dog  is  to  stand  up.  A  click  of 
the  tongue,  or  a  motion  of  the  finger,  has  alike  significance. 

Dead,  or  dead  bird,  denotes  that  a  bird  which  was  shot 
at  is  killed,  and  that  it  is  to  be  retrieved.  It  is  generally 
combined  in  use  with  the  order  following. 

Find,  seek,  seek  dead,  denote  that  the  dog  is  to  search 
for  a  dead  or  wounded  bird. 

Fetch  is  the  order  to  retrieve.  Some  trainers  use  the 
order  Bring,  or  bring  it  here,  but  it  is  not  necessary  to  use 
more  than  a  monosyllable  in  an  order. 

Steady,  or  careful,  denotes  that  the  dog  is  to  shorten  his 
pace,  and  pay  more  heed  when  working  for  dead  or  scattered 
birds. 

To  ho  is  the  order  to  stop  and  stand  still.  It  is  now 
obsolete  in  field  training  and  never  had  any  practical  use  at 
any  time,  except  in  teaching  backing. 

Over,  or  get  over,  is  the  order  to  jump  a  fence. 

Hi,  or  any  other  exclamation  the  trainer  fancies,  can  be 
used  to  order  a  dog  to  desist  from  doing  any  undesirable 
act,  such  as  chasing  birds,  rabbits  or  sheep,  jumping  a 
fence,  etc. 

Twb  or  three  short,  sharp  notes,  or  one  long  and  one 
short  note,  may  be  blown  on  the  whistle  to  denote  that  the 
dog  is  to  turn  and  take  another  direction.  As  mentioned 
before,  the  trainer  uses  such  notes  as  pleases  his  fancy. 
Care,  however,  should  be  taken  to  have  a  distinct  note  or 
notes  for  the  different  acts  required.  Some  handlers  teach 
the  dog  to  drop  to  certain  notes  on  the  whistle,  preferring 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  99 

this  to  using  the  voice,  but  such  does  not  find  general  favor, 
and  is  unnecessary. 

Every  command  should  be  given  in  a  firm  tone,  but  the 
greatest  care  should  be  taken  to  use  the  ordinary  tone  of 
voice;  and  the  ordinary  demeanor  should  also  be  observed. 
No  other  tone  or  demeanor  will  be  required  if  the  dog  is 
broken  in  a  proper  manner.  After  a  time  the  ordinary  tone 
becomes  habitual;  also  loud  tones  and  excited  exterior  be- 
come habitual  if  practiced,  hence  the  necessity  of  avoiding 
objectionable  habits. 

A  dog  can  be  taught  to  obey  the  slightest  signals  with 
the  greatest  nicety. .  When  he  is  too  far  away  to  distinguish 
them,  the  whistle  comes  into  play.  The  awkward,  ungraceful 
style  of  delivering  signals  with  the  arms  widely  extended 
and  the  whole  frame  stretched  should  be  avoided.  Some 
trainers  unconsciously  put  force  enough  into  a  signal  to 
give  the  impression  that  they  lifted  the  dog  along  by  main 
strength.  A  light,  graceful  motion  is  every  bit  as  effective 
and  much  less  laborious. 

It  is  surprising  that  a  dog  can  be  taught  to  obey  a  slight 
signal  to  such  a  degree  of  perfection.  The  common  block 
trick  which  is  performed  by  many  trick  dogs,  illustrates  the 
capacity  of  the  dog  to  comprehend  very  slight  sig- 
nals. For  the  benefit  of  those  who  never  have  seen  it,  it 
may  be  mentioned  in  this  connection  to  show  the  uselessness 
of  very  demonstrative  signals.  A  number  of  blocks,  hav- 
ing the  necessary  letters  or  figures  printed  on  them,  are 
placed  in  a  row  a  few  inches  apart.  A  certain  name  or 
number  is  given,  the  letters  or  figures  of  which  the  dog  is  to 
pick  out  in  the  correct  order  of  succession  to  spell  the  word 
or  notate  the  numbers  correctly.  The  dog  walks  along  the 
row,  stops,  picks  out  the  correct  letter  or  number,  one  at  a 
time,  and  carries  it  to  his  trainer.  This  trick  never  fails  to 
mystify  the  spectators.  The  eye  of  his  master,  though  ap- 


100  MODERN    TRAINING. 

patently  fixed,  materially  assists  to  direct  him,  and  at  a 
proper  juncture,  the  trainer  moves  his  toes  in  his  shoe  with- 
out moving  the  rest  of  his  person,  and  the  dog,  observing 
the  signal,  picks  up  the  block  next  to  him. 

The  order,  ware,  signifying  that  the  dog  is  to  desist 
from  certain  acts  or  intentions,  is  not  used  in  this  country. 
Exclamations  should  be  used  as  little  as  possible,  as  they  are 
not  an  artistic  accessory  to  handling  a  dog.  When  a  dog 
shows  an  intention  to  jump  a  fence  when  it  is  not  desired 
that  he  should  do  so,  instead  of  bellowing  Ware  fence!  or 
Hi !  the  handler  should  blow  the  signal  on  the  whistle  to 
turn,  which  is  equally  effective,  if  the  dog  is  properly  trained, 
and  much  more  elegant. 

Promiscuous,  purposeless  orders  will  detract  from  the 
dog's  interest,  and  if,  unwisely,  he  is  deceived  intentionally 
many  times,  he  becomes  disobedient  and  indifferent. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

PREPARATORY  TRAINING. 

Yard  training  consists  in  teaching  the  dog  the  proper 
acts  of  obedience  to  the  respective  orders,  and  prompt  sub- 
mission to  them.  Sometimes  the  term  house  breaking  is 
used  erroneously  as  having  a  synonymous  meaning, — this 
breaking,  as  the  name  implies,  simply  consists  in  teaching 
the  dog  correct  everyday  deportment  and  habits,  when  at 
liberty,  in  or  about  the  house.  In  most  instances,  if  a 
puppy  is  raised  about  the  house,  he,  without  any  special 
training,  forms  correct  habits  from  observation  and  associa- 
tion, keeping  very  intelligently  within  his  proper  sphere  in 
the  domestic  economy.  If  he  commits  a  fault,  he  is  scolded 
or  whipped  for  the  offence,  probably  with  no  reference  to 
his  education;  hence  his  house  training  is  given  uncon- 
sciously; however,  by  his  powers  of  comprehension  and  im- 
itation, he  learns  a  multitude  of  details  himself.  So  familiar 
to  every  person  is  the  sensible  deportment  of  a  dog  which 
has  had  the  liberty  of  the  house  from  puppyhood,  and 
so  gradually  and  easily  is  his  education  aquired,  that  its  very 
commonness  causes  it  to  be  unnoticed,  or  accepted  as  a 
matter  of  course.  The  difference,  however,  is  very  apparent 
when  a  dog  which  has  been  kept  constantly  on  a  chain  or 
in  confinement  is  allowed  his  liberty;  then  all  things  are 
alike  to  him;  he  jumps  on  the  bed  or  table,  or  capers  in  the 
parlor  or  kitchen  with  equal  sang  froid,  and  naturally  from 
his  inexperience  considers  the  house  a  superior  kind  of 


IQ2  MODERN    TRAINING. 

finely  furnished  kennel.  He  must  then  have  experience  to 
learn  correct  conduct;  and  when  it  is  considered  that  this  is 
learned  in  a  year  .or  two,  it  is  very  creditable  indeed  when 
compared  with  the  length  of  time  necessary  to  teach  some 
of  the  nobler  organisms,  and  when  it  is  compared  with  the 
crude  behavior  of  the  untaught  said  organisms.  It  is  true 
that  some  dogs  are  dishonest.  They  will  steal,  but  this 
trait  appears  to  co-exist  with  high  orders  of  reason. 

There  are  a  few  traits  peculiar  to  the  dog  under  domesti- 
cation which  are  exceedingly  disagreeable  at  times,  and 
which  should  be  corrected.  One  of  the  most  irritating  is 
the  common  habit  of  affectionately  placing  the  fore  feet  on 
the  person  of  his  master  or  a  visitor.  It  is  a  source  of 
extreme  annoyance  to  the  latter,  particularly  if  neatly 
dressed.  In  muddy  weather,  it  is  extremely  offensive  to 
have  paws  loaded  with  mud  placed  on  one's  clothing,  no 
matter  how  many  prizes  a  dog  may  have  won  or  how  royal 
is  his  pedigree.  The  owner  should  not  permit  his  affection 
for  his  dog  to  blind  him  to  what  is  due  to  courtesy.  The 
habit  is  easily  and  simply  cured  without  any  violence  or 
injury  to  the  dog's  affections.  When  he  places  his  fore  feet 
upon  the  person,  grasp  a  foot  gently  but  firmly  in  each  hand, 
speaking  to  him  in  the  blandest  tones  and  the  choicest  pet 
phrases,  the  manner  being  the  perfection  of  kindness,  at 
the  same  time  stepping  on  his  hind  feet  just  hard  enough  to 
pinch  them.  He  will  soon  endeavor  to  break  away,  notwith- 
standing the  kindness  of  manner;  but  the  punishment 
should  be  continued  for  a  few  moments  before  releasing 
him.  Soon  thereafter  call  him  up  and  repeat  the  lesson. 
Usually  two  or  three  of  these  simple  lessons  are  ample — he 
cannot  then  be  induced  to  place  his  feet  on  the  person. 
Occasionally,  at  long  intervals,  he  may  forget  himself  for  a 
moment;  but  the  slightest  reminder  adjusts  him  to  instant 
correctness.  By  observing  this  simple  training  the  dog  will 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  103 

be  a  more  desirable  companion,  and  will  have  more  friends. 

Another  serious  fault  is  the  persistent  and  irritating  habit 
of  barking  at  passing  strangers.  Sometimes,  when  the 
owner  is  present,  the  dog  will  show  a  bravado  spirit  and 
will  be  louder  and  Ynore  violent,  presuming  on  immunity, 
from  his  master's  presence.  From  habit,  the  act  often 
becomes  malicious.  The  dog  should  be  broken  of  the 
obnoxious  habit  by  whipping  him  when  he  is  caught  in  the 
act.  Instances  are  not  infrequent  where  the  habit  caused 
an  abrupt  termination  to  an  otherwise  useful  career.  Men 
are  not  always  in  a  humor  to  enhance  a  dog's  pleasure  by 
being  a  subject  for  his  barking — dull  men  are  unable  to 
distinguish  between  the  bark  of  a  dog  full  of  blue  blood 
and  that  of  a  common  cur.  The  very  little  trouble  required 
to  correct  these  faults  makes  neglect  of  them  inexcusable. 

Yard  breaking  is  very  essential  to  satisfactory  progress 
and  skillful  training.  The  advantages  of  teaching  certain 
orders  and  acts,  and  establishing  discipline  separately,  free 
from  field  complications,  are  obvious.  If  obedience  is  not 
taught  to  these  orders  in  the  yard,  it  must  be  taught  in  the 
field  under  much  less  favorable  ciucumstances,  and  with 
much  greater  trouble,  frequently  to  the  injury  of  the  dog's 
field  work.  The  yard  training  should  approximate  as  closely 
as  possible  in  manner  to  that  of  actual  field  work,  thus  the 
transition  from  it  to  the  other  will  be  easily  accomplished. 
Such  training  also  avoids  many  objectionable  and  some- 
times extremely  troublesome  faults,  such  as  blinking,  bolt- 
ing, etc. 

In  yard  breaking,  a  dog  may  be  taught  obedience  to  the 
following  commands  and  their  corresponding  signals, 
namely  :  Fetch,  Find,  Drop,  Holdup,  Go  on,  Come  in,  Steady, 
Dead  or  Dead  bird,  Heel,  and  numerous  incidental  details, 
as  will  be  more  particularly  described  hereafter.  If  the 
trainer  teaches  these  orders  thoroughly  and  at  the  same 


104  MODERN    TRAINING. 

time  holds  his  dog's  confidence  and  affection,  he  will 
have  no  difficulty  in  teaching  their  application  in  the  field; 
on  the  other  hand,  if  his  dog  is  afrai'd  of  him  or  has  learned 
to  dislike  him,  he  will  have  endless  trouble  and  inferior 
results. 

In  giving  a  yard  lesson  it  should  be  done  seriously  and 
kindly.  Any  attempt  of  the  dog  to  divert  the  lesson  into 
a  frolic  at  any  period  should  be  promptly  but  gently 
checked.  The  demeanor  should  be  such  that  the  dog  will 
neither  be  encouraged  to  play  nor  anticipate  violence.  If 
the  trainer  is  emotional  and  demonstrative  the  dog  will  learn 
to  anticipate  his  intentions,  not  always  to  the  benefit  of  the 
training.  After  a  lesson  is  finished,  the  puppy  may  be 
encouraged  to  play,  particularly  if  at  all  downcast ;  but  if  he 
exhibits  no  unpleasant  memories  he  may  be  left  to  his  own 
will.  To  play  with  a  puppy  does  not  injure  his  training  in 
the  least,  if  not  permitted  during  the  lessons.  It  is  an 
objectionable  practice,  however,  to  permit  children  to  play 
with  him.  In  playing  he  learns  to  carry  sticks,  old  shoes, 
etc.,  and  is  apt  to  develop  a  hard  mouth,  besides  learning 
undesirable  cunning  tricks,  such  as  running  away,  hiding, 
etc.,  which  by  no  means  add  to  the  pleasures  of  training. 

Amateurs  always  attempt  to  accomplish  too  much  in  one 
lesson.  Usually  they  expect  that  a  half  dozen  lessons  ought 
to  accomplish  almost  any  educational  purpose,  whereas, 
with  some  dogs,  that  number  of  lessons  will  not  make  a 
perceptible  beginning. 

It  often  happens  that  a  dog  is  willing  to  obey  but  is  una- 
ble to  comprehend  what  is  required,  from  the  absence  of  all 
method  on  the  part  of  the  trainer.  Mixed  or  various  orders 
for  the  same  act,  or  attempting  to  teach  two  or  three  differ- 
ent things  at  the  same  time,  or  abruptly  changing  from  one 
thing  to  another  before  any  one  is  half  taught,  will  make 
progress  slow  and  unsatisfactory  ;  such  course  is  confusing 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  105 

and  unskillful.  One  thing  at  a  time  should  be  the  rule. 
The  elementary  details  should  be  taught  separately  and 
thoroughly  impressed  on  the  dog's  memory,  and  as  he  pro- 
gresses the  details  should  be  nicely  graduated  from  the  sim- 
ple to  the  more  difficult.  Proficiency  in  one  detail  is  a  fair 
standard  by  which  to  judge  his  fitness  for  learning  the  next. 
Too  much  is  expected  of  a  dog  in  too  short  a  time.  Con- 
sidering his  natural  short  life  it  is  wonderful  what  a  variety 
of  intelligent  acts  he  acquires  ;  yet  amateurs  often  expect  a 
dog  to  learn  an  act  in  much  less  time  than  they  could  learn 
it  themselves. 

The  yard  breaking  should  not  be  attempted  until  the 
puppy  is  at  least  eight  months  old;  ten  months  old  is  better. 
He  needs  the  freedom  of  puppyhood  with  its  frolics  and 
carelessness  to  gain  common  experience,  and  mental  and 
physical  development.  It  is  not  reasonable  to  expect  much 
ability  before  the  puppy  approaches  maturity.  If  the  trainer 
desires  to  teach  retrieving  by  the  natural  method,  so  called, 
he  may  begin  when  the  puppy  is  five  or  six  months  old,  and 
inasmuch  as  it  is  associated  with  playfulness,  it  does  no 
harm. 

The  methods  of  teaching  obedience  to  the  different  orders 
are  described  under  the  following  appropriate  heads  : 

Obedience  to  the  order  Come  in  is  very  easily  taught  if 
the  lessons  are  given  properly ;  the  whip  has  no  place  in 
these  lessons.  By  giving  the  dog  a  palatable  morsel  when 
he  is  called  in  he  soon  learns  to  understand  and  obey  the 
order  when  there  is  a  reward  in  sight.  However,  he  must 
be  taught  to  come  in  promptly  to  order,  reward  or  no 
reward.  Disobedience  or  indifference  should  not  be  toler- 
ated. Put  a  spike  collar  with  a  rope  about  ten  feet  long 
attached  to  it  upon  him.  Stand  off  a  few  feet  and  give  the 
order  Come  in ;  pull  him  in  simultaneously  by  means  of  the 
rope.  Repeat  until  he  will  come  in  promptly  to  order  alone. 


I0f>  MODERN    TRAINING. 

When  he  comes  in  he  should  be  petted  and  treated  kindly. 
When  he  becomes  fairly  obedient  a  few  lessons  may  be 
given  in  a  securely  inclosed  yard,  without  using  the  collar 
unless  necessary.  Escape  being  impossible,  he  will  soon 
obey  promptly.  A  long  checkcord  can  be  used  in  giving 
him  some  lessons  in  the  open  fields  if  he  is  obstinate.  They 
should  be  conducted  so  kindly  and  deliberately  that  the  dog 
will  not  become  shy  or  unduly  frightened — this  can  be 
accomplished  only  by  taking  ample  time,  avoiding  excite- 
ment, violent  punishment,  or  loud  orders.  Make  the  dog 
feel  that  when  he  comes  in  he  is  safe.  By  the  same  means 
he  can  be  taught  obedience  to  whistle  or  signal.  Extreme 
violence  is  an  obstruction  to  progress. 

Go  on,  Hie  on. — The  instances  are  very  rare  in  which  it 
is  necessary  to  give  any  special  lessons  to  teach  this  order. 
It  can  be  taught  while  giving  the  puppy  exercise  in  the 
fields,  and  in  conjunction  with  which  it  is  constantly  used. 
The  inclination  of  the  dog  is  to  range  or  run  without 
restraint,  hence  the  order,  Go  on,  is  usually  in  accord  with 
his  inclination,  and  he  therefore  soon  learns  its  meaning 
and  eagerly  waits  for  it.  By  associating  the  corresponding 
signal  with  the  order,  he,  after  a  few  opportunities,  compre- 
hends its  meaning,  when  the  verbal  order  may  be  dispensed 
with.  Or  a  click  of  the  tongue  is  sufficient. 

If  two  dogs  are  in  training  as  a  brace,  either  one  should 
be  taught  to  leave  heel  and  begin  ranging  when  the  trainer 
speaks  the  name  of  one  or  the  other,  or  his  name  accom- 
panied with  the  proper  signal  to  Go  on.  He  can,  if  he  pre- 
fers, teach  each  one  a  separate  order  ;  such,  however,  is 
unnecessary,  as  the  dog's  name  when  so  used  is  equivalent 
to  an  order,  and  much  easier  to  remember  and  deliver  with- 
out confusion.  Occasionally  a  sulky  dog  will  require  to  be 
forced  from  heel  with  the  whip,  but  this  should  be  consid- 
ered as  a  last  resort.  While  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  drive 


BREAKING    AND     HANDLING. 


107 


him  from  heel,  it  is  not  so  easy  a  matter  to  keep  him  from 
running  away,  therefore  it  must  be  applied  with  a  great  deal 
of  tact.  Just  sufficient  punishment  to  drive  him  from  heel 
is  all  that  is  safe  to  apply.  The  whip,  held  threateningly  in 
the  hand,  will  deter  him  from  returning.  If  left  to  himself 
without  further  interference,  he  usually  trots  about  in  a 
sulky  or  surprised  manner  for  a  while,  then  resumes  work, 
the  conditions  being  unfavorable  for  sulking.  No  orders 
should  be  given  him  after  he  is  driven  from  heel  till  he 
regains  his  ordinary  manner.  There  is  a  probability  that  if 
they  were  given  he  would  bolt.  If  he  is  unusually  cranky 
and  obstinate,  the  method  given  under  the  head  of  Turning 
to  Whistle  may  be  advantageously  used. 

Obedience  to  the  order,  Heel,  is  easily  taught,  yet  it  is 
necessary  to  exercise  a  great  deal  of  judgment  as  to  what 
period  of  the  training  it  is  best  to  teach  it,  such,  in  many 
instances,  being  an  important  consideration.  Dogs  which 
are  energetic  and  eager  to  hunt  at  every  opportunity  may 
be  taught  it  during  the  yard  breaking.  No  attempt  should 
be  made  to  teach  it  to  timid,  cranky,  gunshy  or  lazy  dogs 
until  they  are  well  advanced  in  training,  having  outgrown 
their  fears  or  failings,  as  the  case  may  be.  It  is  always  bet- 
ter to  wait  until  the  dog  hassettled  to  his  work  with  interest 
and  regularity.  If  the  timid,  gunshy  or  cranky  dog  is 
taught  to  remain  at  heel  in  obedience  to  an  order,  he  im- 
proves on  it  by  coming  to  heel  voluntarily,  and  no  efforts 
may  thereafter  induce  him  to  hunt.  Under  such  circum- 
stances the  trainer  is  powerless.  He  can  do  no  more  than 
to  walk  patiently  along  until  time  effects  a  change,  or  some 
adventitious  circumstances,  such  as  a  rabbit  starting  close 
by  the  dog,  or  the  fluttering  of  a  wounded  bird,  may  stim- 
ulate him  to  make  an  effort  to  kill,  whereupon  he  may 
range,  seeking  for  more.  With  such,  there  is  no  remedy 
save  time,  kindness  and  favorable  opportunities  to  chase 


I08  MODERN    TRAINING. 

or  kill.  Lazy  or  sulky  dogs,  as  aforementioned,  can  be 
driven  from  heel  with  the  whip,  yet  it  is  frequently  the  case 
that  they  are  not  worth  the  trouble. 

To  teach  this  order,  the  trainer  leads  the  dog  about  in 
the  yard  or  in  the  fields.  When  the  dog  presses  to  the  front, 
or  to  one  side,  which  he  is  sure  to  do,  a  sharp  tap  or  two 
with  the  whip  will  drive  him  to  the  rear.  At  the  same  time, 
the  order  Heel  is  given  in  the  ordinary  tone  of  voice.  Every 
attempt  to  walk  elsewhere  than  at  heel  must  be  promptly 
checked.  If  the  dog  struggles  or  sags  back  in  an  ordinary 
kennel  collar,  put  a  spike  collar  on  him,  not  necessarily  to 
jerk  him  about,  but  simply  to  hold  him  in  place.  The  spike 
collar  alone  is  recommended  by  a  few  writers  as  the  proper 
instrument  to  employ  in  teaching  a  dog  to  heel,  but  it  is 
unnecessarily  severe,  and  less  effective  than  the  whip  and 
spike  collar  combined.  All  punishment  should  be  avoided 
unless  it  is  a  necessity. 

After  the  dog  comprehends  the  meaning  of  the  order, 
the  signal,  a  wave  of  the  right  or  left  hand  downward  to  the 
rear,  may  be  associated  with  it.  When  he  will  follow  with 
any  degree  of  certainty,  he  is  sufficiently  prepared  for  field 
work,  as,  in  the  primary  lessons,  there  is  every  reason  to 
avoid  inculcating  the  act  so  thoroughly  that  it  becomes 
habitual.  Field  training  is  the  proper  part  wherein  to  per- 
fect obedience  to  this  order.  The  dog  is  sent  out  to  work 
betimes,  there  is  something  to  interest  him  constantly,  thus 
differing  materially  from  the  conditions  of  yard  breaking.  It 
is  no  particular  trouble  to  teach  it  in  the  field  without  any 
yard  lessons.  The  same  method  is  used,  when  so  taught; 
it  has  the  advantage,  when  taught  in  field  work,  that  the 
trainer  can  always  tell  accurately  how  the  lessons  are  har- 
monizing with  the  rest  of  the  training,  and  can  thus  con- 
duct them  intelligently. 

Drop.—K  few  trainers  use  the  spike  collar  exclusively 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  109 

in  teaching  the  dog  to  drop,  but  it  is  an  undesirable  method, 
being  unnecessarily  severe  in  its  effects,  and  awkward  in  its 
application.  It  being  an  inferior  method,  the  manner  of  it  is 
not  worth  describing.  The  spike  collar,  however,  is  val- 
uable as  an  auxiliary  instrument,  and  as  such  is  especially 
useful. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  inflict  severe  punishment,  or  in- 
deed much  punishment  of  any  kind  to  teach  this  branch. 
Regularity  and  thoroughness  are  the  most  important 
factors. 

The  proper  position  for  a  dog  at  the  drop  is  to  lie  down 
with  the  body  in  nearly  a  straight  line,  and  it  is  immaterial 
whether  the  hind  feet  are  on  one  side  of  the  body  or  one  on 
each  side;  if  taught  to  lie  straight,  he  will  eventually  learn 
to  drop  squarely  enough  for  all  practical  purposes,  if  prop- 
erly drilled  in  his  lessons.  He  should  not  be  permitted  to 
curl  up  or  roll  on  his  back,  both  being  undesirable  positions, 
easily  corrected  in  training. 

The  painfully  artificial  attitudes  which  amateurs  occa- 
sionally attempt  to  teach  are  extremely  tiresome  to  the  dog, 
and  they  are  practically  useless.  The  dog  is  required  to  lie 
with  his  fore  legs  extended  straight  in  front  of  him,  with 
head  and  neck  in  a  straight  line  and  resting  between  the 
fore  legs;  the  hind  legs  being  placed  one  on  each  side  of  his 
body,  and  resting  squarely. 

To  teach  the  dog  to  drop,  procure  a  light  riding  whip 
or  very  light  rawhide,  not  on  account  of  their  punishing 
qualities,  but  on  account  of  the  quickness  and  ease  with 
which  it  can  be  used,  being  in  this  respect  incomparably 
superior  to  the  ordinary  dog  whip.  A  checkcord  about  four 
feet  long  should  be  tied  to  his  kennel  collar  to  keep  him 
from  running  away.  If  he  struggles  against  the  kennel 
collar,  a  spike  collar  may  be  substituted  until  the  attempts 
to  escape  are  abandoned.  The  rope  should  be  held  in  the 


HO  MODERN    TRAINING. 

left  hand,  the  whip  in  the  right.  Give  him  a  light  tap  on 
the  shoulder,  and,  at  the  same  instant,  give  the  order,  Drop. 
Repeat  the  tapping  and  order  till  he  lies  down.  If  he  tries 
to  escape  or  is  frightened,  the  trainer  has  hurried  too  much 
or  hit  harder  than  was  necessary,  for  no  severity  is  needed 
or  desired.  A  distinct  interval  should  be  allowed  between 
each  order.  When  the  dog  lies  down,  the  punishment 
should  cease  instantly,  and  the  attitude  should  be  main- 
tained for  a  few  minutes.  If  petted  at  this  stage,  he  is  very 
apt  to  rise,  which  is  not  desired.  It  is  immaterial  whether 
he  performs  the  act  with  correctness,  at  first,  the  manner  of 
doing  it  being  then  subordinate  to  teaching  him  the  mean- 
ing of  the  order;  yet  he  should  not  be  permitted  to  roll  on 
his  back  or  curl  up.  The  manner  of  doing  it  can  be  grad- 
ually improved  upon  as  he  comprehends  the  meaning  of  the 
command  better.  If  he  rolls  on  his  back,  give  him  a  few 
sharp  taps  with  the  whip  on  his  toes,  giving  only  force 
enough  to  sting;  he  will  then  roll  quickly  back  into  the  cor- 
rect position  and  draw  his  toes  under  him  for  protection. 
It  he  attempts  to  bolt,  the  rope  is  always  in  the  left  hand  to 
prevent  him  from  doing  so— the  rope  serves  no  other  pur- 
pose. After  two  or  three  corrections  he  cannot  be  induced 
to  remain  on  his  back.  If  he  curls  up,  a  few  taps  on  the 
toes  will  likewise  make  him  lie  straight.  He  persistently 
avoids  these  positions  when  he  learns  to  associate  pain 
therewith.  It  is  worthy  of  repetition  that  the  dog  should  be 
given  time  to  comprehend  the  lessons.  If  he  is  frightened 
or  confused,  there  is  so  much  time  and  effort  wasted,  if  no 
worse. 

Forcing  the  dog  quickly  and  repeatedly  to  lie  down  and 
stand  up  bewilders  him  so  much  that  he  comprehends 
nothing. 

For  special  parts  of  subsequent  training,  it  is  worthy  of 
attention,  in  teaching  the  drop,  that  the  whip  be  applied  to 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  Ill 

the  same  part  when  used,  the  shoulder  being  preferable. 
The  dog  soon  learns  that  a  touch  on  the  shoulder  is  an 
order  of  itself;  if  so  applied  invariably,  and  instant  obedi- 
ence required,  he  can  be  taught  to  drop  at  a  slight  touch. 
This  method  is  particularly  useful  in  teaching  dropping  to 
wing  and  shot.  Using  the  whip  promiscuously  and  harshly 
always,  naturally  prompts  the  dog  to  run  away  if  he  pos- 
sibly can  do  so;  besides,  it  is  more  unskillful,  troublesome 
and  inefficacious  than  in  following  a  systematic  course 
which  has  every  detail  properly  associated  with  the  required 
act  of  obedience. 

After  he  has  a  fair  comprehension  of  the  order,  he  may 
be  then  drilled  in  dropping  to  signal,  the  right  or  left  hand 
raised  being  the  signal  in  common  use.  This  signal  should 
be  used  for  a  longer  or  shorter  time  with  the  order.  Grad- 
ually, as  the  dog  becomes  obedient,  the  order  may  be  used 
less  and  less  ;  at  last  the  signal  alone  will  be  sufficient. 
The  trainer  should  always  take  pains  to  stand  a  little  in 
front  of  the  dog,  so  that  he  can  readily  see  the  signal  ;  and 
if  he  has  been  taught  to  drop  to  a  tap  of  the  whip  on  the 
shoulder,  it  will  materially  assist  to  teach  obedience  quickly, 
easily  and  perfectly.  When  the  dog  is  fairly  well  trained, 
instant  obedience  should  be  exacted.  If,  at  the  signal,  the 
dog  does  not  drop  on  the  instant,  the  whip  should  follow 
immediately  ;  however,  always  be  sure  that  the  dog  sees  the 
signal. 

Such  is  the  method  of  teaching  any  dog  of  average  dispo- 
sition. But  if  the  dog  is  obstinate  or  sour,  the  punishment 
may  be  applied  more  liberally,  due  regard  always  being  paid 
to  the  purposes  of  the  training.  It  is  necessary  to  teach  the 
order  very  thoroughly,  as  it  is  in  constant  use  in  field  work 
while  training  and  hunting. 

Hold  up. — As  soon  as  the  dog  is  fairly  obedient  to  the 
order  Drop,  he  may  be  taught  obedience  to  the  order  Hold 


H2  MODERN    TRAINING. 

up  in  the  same  lessons,  observing  the  same  policy  in  respect 
to  deliberation  that  has  been  mentioned  heretofore. 

The  spike  collar  now  comes  usefully  into  play  with  some 
dogs.  It  should  be  put  on,  with  a  rope  about  four  feet  long 
attached  to  it.  It  is  not  required  to  inflict  severe  punish- 
ment ;  on  the  contrary,  it  will  accomplish  the  purpose  with 
less  punishment  than  any  other  means.  When  the  order 
Hold  up  is  given,  the  collar  should  be  jerked  lightly  with 
the  left  hand,  which  usually  will  be  sufficient  to  force  the 
average  dog  promptly  to  his  feet.  If  he  is  sour  and  obsti- 
nate, apply  the  whip  smartly  to  his  toes  with  the  right  hand 
until  he  rises,  which  he  will  very  soon  do,  then  he  should  be 
petted  till  his  fears  subside,  if  he  has  any.  He  may  then  be 
ordered  to  drop,  and  the  training  in  rising  to  order  repeated. 

He  may  obey  the  order  readily  if  the  handler  is  moving 
away  from  him,  and  refuse  if  he  is  motionless.  Obedience 
must  be  given  to  the  order  whether  the  handler  is  in  motion 
or  at  rest.  The  lessons  should  be  regularly  continued  till 
the  dog  obeys  either  order  cheerfully  and  promptly,  without 
the  need  of  either  whip  or  collar. 

A  beckon  with  the  forefinger  is  the  easiest  and  most 
natural  signal  for  the  command  Hold  up.  By  associating 
the  order  and  signal  the  latter  is  taught  in  like  manner  as 
described  in  teaching  other  signals.  The  dog  is  not  suffi- 
ciently obedient  unless  he  will  drop  instantly  when  the  hand 
is  elevated,  or  rise  when  the  beckon  of  the  finger  is  given. 
If  the  amateur  cannot  enforce  unhesitating  obedience  when 
he  has  the  dog  in  a  position  where  he  is  powerless  to  evade 
obeying  orders,  he  has  very  little  hope  of  doing  so  when  the 
dog  has  his  liberty  in  field  work. 

The  short  rope  should  not  be  dispensed  with  till  the  dog 
is  obedient.  A  few  lessons  may  then  be  given  in  a  room  or 
yard  from  which  he  cannot  escape  ;  for  when  the  rope  is 
removed  he  may  refuse  to  obey,  and  hence  the  precaution 


BREAKING    AND     HANDLING.  113 

necessary  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  his  running  away. 
He  then  should  be  trained  without  the  rope.  No  com- 
promise is  admissible.  If  he  goes  into  a  corner  or  sneaks 
up  to  the  feet  of  his  trainer,  he  should  be  taken  back 
instantly  to  the  place  where  he  should  have  dropped,  and  a 
cut  of  the  whip  given;  he  should  then  be  required  to  remain 
quiet  till  ordered  up.  If  he  is  allowed  to  select  his  own  place 
to  drop,  he  has  a  feeling  of  security  and  immunity  which 
is  not  favorable  for  subsequent  discipline  in  the  open  field. 

When  he  is  obedient  in  the  yard  he  may  be  given  lessons 
in  the  open  fields,  yet  he  must  at  first  be  kept  under  some 
restraint  to  put  a  proper  finish  to  his  yard  breaking.  One 
end  of  a  quarter  inch  line,  about  twenty  feet  long,  should  be 
tied  to  his  spike  collar,  the  other  end  tied  to  a  stake  firmly 
driven  into  the  ground.  Make  him  drop  close  to  the  stake. 
Walk  away  from  him  and  if  he  attempts  to  follow,  return 
him  to  his  place  and  make  him  drop,  giving  him  a  cut  with 
the  whip.  Walk  away  about  twenty  yards,  then  around 
him,  and  correct  any  unsteadiness  exhibited  by  him.  When 
he  is  trained  so  that  he  will  remain  steady  while  the  trainer 
walks  or  runs,  he  may  be  considered  as  being  trustworthy. 
These  lessons  should  be  given  in  different  places  in  the 
fields;  for  a  dog  from  the  familiar  associations  may  be  obe- 
dient in  the  place  in  which  he  is  trained,  and  disobedient  in 
all  others.  Whether  he  will  be  run  thereafter  with  a  check- 
cord,  or  whether  he  will  have  all  the  training  necessary  at 
this  stage,  will  depend  on  whether  he  is  obedient  or  whether 
he  evinces  no  disposition  to  run  away,  etc.,  which  his  trainer 
can  determine. 

One  thing  is  certain,  when  the  dog  is  put  into  actual 
work,  the  talent  and  industry  or  inefficiency  of  the  trainer 
in  giving  the  preparatory  lessons  will  not  fail  to  show  itself; 
any  imperfection  adds  just  so  much  to  the  trouble  of  training 
in  the  field  and  under  less  favorable  circumstances. 


H4  MODERN    TRAINING. 

Very  few  dogs  require  all  these  formalities  and  training 
to  perfect  them  in  this  branch;  yet  inasmuch  as  every  dog 
differs  more  or  less  in  temperament  from  every  other  dog, 
some  parts  will  do  for  one,  some  for  another,  and  an  occa- 
sional one  will  require  the  whole  course  combined  with  the 
best  judgment  of  his  trainer;  but  there  is  one  part  that 
must  be  observed  with  all  dogs,  namely,  regularity  and  de- 
liberate training. 

In  teaching  a  dog  to  drop  to  shot,  caps  may  be  exploded, 
or  a  common  22-caliber  blank  cartridge  exploded  in  a  rifle 
or  pistol.  If  the  dog  is  at  all  gunshy,  no  greater  folly  could 
be  committed  than  to  attempt  to  teach  him  to  drop  to  shot. 

Just  the  same  methods  should  be  used  as  in  teaching  a 
dog  to  drop  to  an  order  delivered  by  the  voice,  the  report 
of  the  gun  having  precisely  the  same  significance.  The 
other  training,  relating  to  the  same  thing,  will  enable  the 
trainer  to  teach  this  part  very  expeditiously. 

The  orders  Charge  and  Down  Charge  have  fallen  into 
disuse  with  expert  sportsmen;  besides,  they  are  meaningless 
and  inelegant. 

Toho  is  the  order  which  denotes  that  the  dog  is  to  stop 
and  stand  still.  With  expert  trainers,  the  order  has  fallen 
into  disuse,  the  improvement  in  methods  and  greater  knowl- 
edge of  the  dog's  nature  rendering  it  superfluous.  The  old 
theory  was  that  it  served  a  useful  purpose  in  teaching  the 
dog  how  to  point  and  back,  or  in  restraining  him  when  road- 
ing.  Amongst  an  unskilled  class  some  very  efficacious  pow- 
ers were  supposed  to  be  inherent  in  it.  Amateurs  frequently 
use  it;  they  will  give  the  order  Toho  to  an  unsteady  dog 
which  had  never  been  taught  its  meaning;  yet  it  had  about 
the  same  beneficial  effect  that  it  had  on  any  dog,  taught  or 
untaught. 

It  is  a  wholly  useless  and  superfluous  order,  as,  if  it  is  de- 
sired to  stop  the  dog,  it  can  be  done  more  perfectly  by 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  115 

making  him  drop.  To  perpetually  and  unnecessarily  stop 
a  dog  when  he  is  roading  or  drawing  on  birds,  is  the  height 
of  field  stupidity  or  inexperience.  The  dog,  if  properly 
trained,  understands  his  work  and  requires  no  mistaken 
attempts  at  assistance  from  his  handler.  It  is  extremely 
painful  to  be  afield  with  a  companion  who  is  crying  "  To-ho! 
— to-ho-o-o! — to-Jio-o-o!!"  every  time  his  dog  scents  game;  the 
more  so  that  the  dog,  from  experience  with  the  gentle  fail- 
ings of  his  master,  ignores  the  tumult.  If  he  is  a  timid 
dog,  it  balks  him  perpetually.  Even  if  it  had  the  benefits 
claimed  for  it,  they  are  of  no  importance  when  compared  to 
the  trouble  of  teaching  it  thoroughly.  The  true  method  of 
training  and  handling  a  dog  in  roading  and  pointing,  is 
described  under  the  appropriate  heads.  For  the  benefit  of 
those,  however,  who  have  a  veneration  for  the  customs  and 
methods  of  the  past,  the  mode  of  teaching  it  will  be  de- 
scribed. It  is  very  simple.  A  piece  of  cord  about  five  or 
six  feet  long  is  tied  to  the  dog's  collar.  The  rope  is  held 
in  one  hand,  close  up  to  the  collar,  during  the  first  lessons; 
and  a  whip  is  held  in  the  other  hand.  The  first  part  to  be 
taught  is  to  make  the  dog  stand  still.  A  piece  of  meat  or 
other  tempting  morsel  is  placed  on  the  floor  a  few  feet  in 
front  of  him  where  he  can  see  it.  He  must  not  be  permitted 
to  lie  down  or  move  restlessly.  Nothing  but  the  most  rigid 
obedience  fulfills  the  purpose.  Hold  him  steady  with  the 
collar  and  tap  him  with  the  whip  every  time  he  stirs,  repeat- 
ing the  order  Toho  as  the  occasion  requires.  He  will  claw 
and  struggle  to  reach  the  meat  at  first,  but  his  attempts 
must  be  defeated,  and  he  must  be  forced  to  stand  still. 
After  he  will  stand  without  struggling,  give  the  order  Go  on 
and  let  him  spring  forward  and  eat  the  meat.  After  he  has 
a  fair  comprehension  of  his  trainer's  intent  from  repeated 
lessons,  and  will  stand  when  his  trainer  is  a  few  feet  away 
from  him,  he  may  be  taught  to  obey  signals,  the  hand  held 


Il6  MODERN    TRAINING. 

forward  in  an  attitude  of  caution  (or  any  other  signal  the 
trainer  chooses)  being  the  signal  to  stand  still;  a  wave  of 
the  same  hand  is  an  order  to  Go  on.  When  the  dog  is 
perfectly  taught,  he,  in  conjunction  with  performing  the  act, 
can  be  moved  forward  five  or  six  inches  at  a  time  and 
stopped  instantly  by  signals,  every  movement  being  deli- 
cately responsive  and  sympathetic  to  the  slightest  signal  of 
the  hand.  It  is  very  pretty  as  a  trick.  When  steady  to 
orders  in  the  house,  it  is  then  necessary  to  finish  the  Toho  in 
the  field  without  any  reference  to  direct  hunting;  after  this 
it  is  necessary  to  give  him  more  lessons  when  working  on 
birds.  No  matter  how  steady  he  may  be  to  the  order  when 
no  birds  are  present,  he  generally  pays  no  attention  to  it 
when  on  game,  unless  he  is  of  a  very  honest,  submissive 
disposition,  and  such  dog  does  not  require  it.  Several 
weeks  must  be  devoted  to  teaching  it  perfectly,  and  this 
labor  greatly  exceeds  the  labor  necessary  to  steady  the  dog 
in  a  proper  manner.  If  the  trainer  should  persist  in  training 
obedience  to  it  to  the  exclusion  of  the  real  purposes  of  a 
dog  in  field  work,  he  will  have  to  so  completely  subjugate 
him  that  he  has  no  self-reliance,  but  simply  and  slavishly 
looks  to  his  handler  for  instructions  at  every  turn,  the  worst 
possible  stage  of  over-training. 

The  author,  in  his  early  attempts  at  training,  diligently 
taught  the  Toho,  because  it  was  after  the  methods  pre- 
scribed by  recognized,  authorities  on  training.  The  insuffi- 
ciency of  it  in  the  field  in  contrast  to  the  charming  powers 
ascribed  to  it  by  the  authors  was  difficult  to  reconcile; 
however,  it  was  assumed  that  more  experience  would  bring 
a  better  understanding  of  it.  The  writer  was  a  long  while 
in  unlearning  this,  with  a  mass  of  other  like  rubbish  which 
was  learned  with  much  trouble  and  practiced  faithfully.  It 
is  simply  a  method  which  found  favor  when  methods  were 
crude  and  the  dog's  nature  misunderstood;  and  the  method 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  U7 

has  been  perpetuated  theoretically,  by  constant  repetition. 
In  an  experience  at  field  trials  covering  several  years  and 
an  experience  in  field  shooting  with  expert  trainers,  the 
writer  never  heard  the  order  Toko  used  by  them  in  a  single 
instance.  However,  it  can  be  used  to  advantage  in  steady- 
ing a  dog  in  backing,  although  it  is  more  trouble  than  to 
teach  the  backing. 

The  orders  Fetch,  Seek,  etc.,  are  associated  with  the  act 
of  retrieving,  and  are  described  under  the  appropriate  head. 


MODERN    TRAINING. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

RETRIEVING. 

Different  strains  of  pointers  and  setters  respectively,  vary 
greatly  in  their  natural  capabilities  for  retrieving;  some 
take  special  delight  in  it,  others  are  indifferent  or  dislike  it; 
a  few  learn  quickly  and  correctly,  and  such  are  usually  will- 
ing retrievers  during  their  lives.  The  greater  number  learn 
well  by  careful  training;  while  a  small  percentage,  either 
from  stupidity,  dislike  or  functional  imperfections,  such  as 
poor  nose,  or  all  combined,  never  attain  more  than 
mediocrity. 

Very  obstinate  individuals  are  met  with  in  both  breeds 
occasionally;  but  as  between  pointers  and  setters,  the  former 
will  learn  to  retrieve  much  more  willingly  and  quickly,  a 
pointer  of  resolute  obstinacy  and  self-will  being  very  excep- 
tional. However,  owing  to  physical  advantages  of  coat, 
and  greater  dash  and  powers  of  endurance,  the  setter,  when 
trained,  is  the  superior  retriever — this  comparison  is  in  re- 
spect to  them  as  a  class,  for  there  are  individual  pointers 
which  are  most  excellent  retrievers  and  individual  setters 
which  are  worthless.  Obstinate  setters,  ones  of  the  most 
determined  obstinacy  and  self-will,  are  not  uncommon,  and 
during  their  preliminary  training,  when  they  fully  compre- 
hend what  is  required  of  them  and  how  to  perform  it,  they 
will  yield  only  under  severe  punishment;  yet,  when  dogs  of 
this  character  are  once  properly  subjugated  and  comprehend 
the  purpose  and  application  of  their  lessons,  they  become 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  1 19 

thoroughly  and  permanently  obedient,  often  making  first- 
rate  performers.  Rarely  will  one  be  found  which  is  wholly 
worthless,  or  which  will  not  be  taught. 

Perfect  retrieving  can  be  established  only  by  the  greatest 
care  and  fidelity  in  teaching  details,  and  punctuality  in  the 
preparatory  lessons.  If  it  is  taught  at  all,  it  is  worthy  being 
taught  perfectly,  for  it  is  an  eminently  useful  accomplish- 
ment, it  being  a  necessity  in  field  shooting,  and,  when  per- 
formed correctly,  a  source  of  pleasure  to  the  sportsman. 
Poor  retrieving  mars  the  best  of  sport;  indeed,  if  the  re- 
triever has  acquired  vicious  habits  such  as  mutilating  birds, 
running  a"way  with  them,  etc.,  he  is  much  worse  than  none. 

Notwithstanding  its  indispensable  value  in  successful 
field  work,  it  at  times  in  the  first  or  perhaps  also  in  part  of 
the  second  season,  is  the  source  of  objectionable  traits  in 
relation  to  other  parts  of  field  work  which  are  more  or  less 
associated  with  it.  This,  of  course,  has  no  reference  to  such 
dogs  as  are  used  as  special  retrievers;  but  such,  for  upland 
shooting,  seldom  find  favor  in  this  country,  sportsmen  pre- 
ferring that  a  dog  is  both  a  finding  dog  and  a  retriever. 
The  objectionable  traits  usually  disappear  as  the  dog  ma- 
tures and  gains  in  experience.  One  of  the  most  annoying 
faults  is  when  a  puppy,  from  taking  great  interest  in  cap- 
turing a  dead  bird  and  delight  in  the  act,  develops  an 
over-eagerness  and  a  consequent  disposition  to  break  shot 
when  a  bird  is  killed;  the  necessary  efforts  to  steady  him 
may  dampen  his  ardor  temporarily.  Again,  he  may  be  an- 
noyingly  and  obstructingly  persistent  in  searching  for  a  real 
or  imaginary  dead  bird  whenever  the  gun  is  fired;  so  thor- 
oughly determined  are  some  dogs  in  this  respect  that  even 
if  led  quite  a  distance  away  so  that  they  may  resume  hunt- 
ing for  live  birds,  they  will  immediately  return  to  complete 
the  search  to  their  satisfaction.  This  offensive  habit  is 
commonly  associated  with  retrieving  in  the  early  stages  of 


I2O  MODERN    TRAINING. 

field  work.  It  is  particularly  undesirable  when  practiced 
among  scattered  birds,  as,  when  ordered  on,  the  dog  is  wholly 
intent  on  finding  the  dead  bird,  and  in  his  rapid,  short  casts 
to  and  fro  never  fails  to  heedlessly  flush  all  the  remaining 
birds.  However,  with  experience,  an  intelligent  dog  will 
learn,  from  his  own  observation,  whether  a  bird  is  killed  or 
not,  and  will  thereafter,  with  proper  handling,  work  correctly 
according  to  the  requirements.  If  he  should,  nevertheless, 
show  no  improvement  from  his  own  knowledge,  the  gun 
may  be  fired  in  likely  places  for  birds,  but  when  no  birds 
are  present,  then  permit  the  dog  to  search  till  he  is  satisfied, 
neither  attempting  to  restrain  nor  encourage  him.  Repeat 
the  deception  as  many  times  as  are  necessary,  and  generally 
he  will  soon  learn  to  distinguish  between  when  a  bird  is 
killed  and  when  not.'  If  he  should  be  an  exceptional  case 
and  persist  in  the  habit  regardless  of  this  treatment,  the 
whip  must  come  into  use;  but  it  must  be  applied  with  great 
caution,  and  is  rarely  necessary  at  all.  The  handler  should 
trust  more  to  regular  work  and  moderate  restraint  than  to 
pressure  by  punishment. 

If  the  puppy  breaks  shot  to  retrieve,  the  greatest  caution 
must  be  observed  in  steadying  him;  his  disposition  and  the 
effects  of  punishment  on  him  should  be  carefully  noted,  and 
all  treatment  modified  to  harmonize  with  his  peculiarities. 
Otherwise,  the  attempts  to  steady  him  may  impair  his  re- 
trieving, pointing  or  finding,  or  all,  inasmuch  as  he  may 
construe  the  punishment  as  relating  to  these  acts  instead  of 
the  act  of  unsteadiness.  However  poorly  he  may  perform 
in  any  part,  nothing  should  be  done  that  will  develop  a  fear 
of  birds,  or  a  blinker.  This  may  be  guarded  against  by 
conducting  the  training  slowly,  making  the  dog  a  steady 
retriever  by  imperceptible  gradations  of  advancement.  An 
aged  dog,  in  some  instances,  from  insufficient  experience, 
dull  powers  of  observation  or  bad  handling,  will  have  no 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  121 

comprehension  of  retrieving  aside  from  the  simple  act  of 
carrying  the  bird  to  his  handler,  which  is  but  one  detail 
which  goes  toward  making  a  skillful  retriever. 

A  first-class  retriever  must  be  intelligent  so  that  he  may 
have  the  capability  of  acquiring  a  full  knowledge  of  all  the 
details  of  retrieving,  and  its  purposes;  he  must  have  a  nat- 
ural fondness  for  it;  he  must  be  steady  to  shot,  must 
seek  diligently  for  a  dead  bird  when  ordered  to  do  so; 
must  be  prompt  and  obedient  to  commands  whether 
verbal  or  by  a  motion  of  the  hand  or  gun;  he  must  have 
a  keen  nose  and  a  tender  mouth,  and  must  work  for 
his  handler,  qualities  which  in  their  entirety  are  rarely 
possessed  by  one  dog.  If  the  retriever  is  accomplished 
in  addition  to  the  foregoing,  he  understands  his  work 
so  that  he  can  conduct  it  without  orders  or  assistance. 
He,  whenever  possible  to  do  so,  will  mark  the  flight  of  a 
wounded  bird,  or  the  place  where  it  fell,  with  wonderful 
precision,  even  though  the  flight  was  a  long  one.  The 
slightest  irregularity  of  flight,  at  times  so  slight  as  to  be 
imperceptible  to  the  shooter,  is  intently  watched  and  noted 
with  perfect  accuracy;  if  the  bird  does  not  drop  in  sight,  he 
estimates,  with  rare  judgment,  the  fall  of  it,  and  by  the  aid 
of  a  keen  nose,  soon  finds  it,  and  retrieves  cheerfully, 
quickly  and  tenderly,  without  any  supervision.  This  degree 
of  perfection  is  only  reached  when  the  dog  has  full  expe- 
rience and  has  not  been  hampered  by  bad  training. 

With  dogs  as  a  class,  retrieving  is  usually  the  most  diffi- 
cult branch  to  teach  to  perfection.  The  amateur  may  suc- 
ceed very  well  by  devoting  the  proper  attention  to  the  yard 
lessons,  but,  from  a  passion  for  shooting,  may  neglect  to 
give  the  proper  attention  to  it  in  field  work,  hence  it  is  rarely 
taught  with  the  nicety  it  should  be  and  is  capable  of 
receiving. 

If   the  amateur  should   unfortunately  have  an  obstinate 


122  MODERN    TRAINING. 

subject  for  his  first  attempts,  he  should  not  be  discouraged, 
for  persistency  and  skill  will  subjugate  the  most  difficult 
ones.  After  one  has  been  taught,  subsequent  attempts  will 
be  easier.  Intelligent  dogs  usually  learn  quickly,  but  the 
first  attempt,  whether  difficult  or  otherwise,  should  not  be 
considered  a  standard  for  all.  It  requires  an  extensive  ex- 
perience to  thoroughly  understand  dogs  in  general.  Still, 
the  amateur  by  carefully  studying  the  disposition  of  the  dog 
which  he  is  training  and  avoiding  that  pernicious  failing  of 
all  amateurs,  namely,  hurry,  can  apply  his  efforts  with  suc- 
cess if  he  has  any  talent  for  training.  The  professional 
trainer  knows  precisely  what  course  to  pursue  with  a  dog  of 
any  disposition;  the  inexperienced  amateur  must  make  his 
advances  by  carefully  noting  effects.  There  is  no  part  of 
training  in  which  a  calm  exterior  is  more  necessary  than  in 
teaching  retrieving;  and  if  the  trainer  cannot  proceed  with 
deliberation  and  consideration,  he  is  misdirecting  his  efforts, 
and  only  very  imperfect  success  can  be  attained.  A  dog 
soon  learns  to  interpret  any  inauspicious  expressions  of 
countenance,  and  if  he  is  at  liberty  he  will  bolt;  if  not  at 
liberty,  he  is  in  such  a  state  of  perturbation  through  antici- 
pation that  his  mind  is  entirely  diverted  from  his  lesson. 
It  is  noticeable  that  the  amateurs  who  bring  their  dogs  to 
a  certain  rough  degree  of  training  are  always  of  the  noisy, 
bellowing  order,  and  if  the  dogs  so  trained  could  tell  of 
their  training,  they  would  relate  the  history  of  a  miserable 
life. 

The  retrieving  of  pointers  and  setters,  if  they  are  good 
finding  dogs,  should  be  confined  strictly  to  upland  work. 
Duck  retrieving,  if  it  is  made  partially  or  wholly  the  dog's 
regular  work,  never  fails  to  induce  rheumatism,  deafness, 
stiff  joints,  or  a  broken  constitution  and  premature  old  age. 
Many  setters  and  pointers  will  retrieve  ducks  excellently  well, 
but  in  cold  weather  they  perform  from  pure  courage  and 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  123 

intense  liking  for  the  sport.  Not  infrequently  they  work 
simply  as  an  act  of  obedience.  It  is  requiring  too  much  of 
them.  They  have  not  the  strength  of  limb  or  hardiness  of 
body  or  constitution  necessary  to  withstand  the  effects  of  the 
severe  labor  and  exposure.  There  is  no  more  pitiable  sight 
than  that  of  a  good  setter  or  pointer,  shivering  violently  be- 
tween shots,  fatigued  from  violent  exertion  and  chilled  to 
the  marrrow  from  exposure  to  ice,  cold  and  mud,  water  and 
raw  winds.  They  have  not  the  natural  properties  for  the 
work  that  the  Chesapeake  Bay  dog  and  Irish  water  spaniel 
have.  The  former  is  stockier  in  structure,  heavier  in  bone 
and  muscle,  denser  in  coat,  and  is  a  much  more  powerfully 
built  dog  in  every  respect,  as  is  necessary  to  meet  the  re- 
quirements of  his  special  work.  Extremely  cold  water,  or 
work  in  mud  and  ice,  does  not  have  the  distressing  effect 
on  him  that  it  does  on  the  setter  and  pointer.  The  Irish 
water  spaniel  has  an  extremely  heavy,  oily  coat,  and  is  very 
powerful  in  proportion  to  his  size.  Both  these  breeds  are 
naturally  water  dogs,  working  in  water  from  choice.  The 
setter  and  pointer  love  water  at  such  times  as  they  are  warm 
from  exertion,  but  they  do  not  favor  cold  water  in  cold 
weather.  Too  often  the  mere  fact  that  they  will  retrieve 
ducks  is  taken  as  sufficient  evidence  that  they  are  consti- 
tutionally fitted  for  the  work.  Aside  from  humane  consid- 
erations, the  value  of  the  dog  as  a  hunter  is,  by  duck  re- 
trieving, first  impaired  and  afterward  gradually  destroyed. 

In  common  practice,  there  are  two  methods  of  teaching 
retrieving,  namely,  the  forcing  system  and  what  is  commonly 
called,  or  miscalled,  the  natural  method.  As  these  systems 
differ  materially  in  details,  they  will  be  described  under 
separate  heads. 

THE    NATURAL    METHOD. 

This   method    is   applied    by    taking   advantage   of   the 


124  MODERN    TRAINING. 

puppy's  natural  inclination  to  frolic,  and  carry  objects  in  his 
mouth  from  playfulness;  therefore  the  best  time  in  which 
the  puppy  can  be  taught  after  this  system  is  in  puppyhood. 
Puppies,  when  playing  alone,  often  take  an  old  shoe,  bone, 
or  other  object,  in  their  mouths,  toss  it  in  the  air,  and  run 
about  with  it.  With  the  staid,  aged  dog,  this  method  has 
very  little  value,  such  dog  being  too  matured  in  intelligence 
to  be  deceived  into  considering  a  dry  lesson  an  amusement, 
particularly  when  there  is  such  a  very  small  element  of  fun 
in  it. 

Occasionally  a  very  good  retriever  is  made  by  the  so-called 
natural  method.  The  term  is  misleading  in  its  meaning,  as 
no  dog  retrieves  naturally,  although  some  learn  with  very 
little  training.  As  applied  in  training,  the  term  is  used 
simply  in  contradistinction  to  the  method  in  which  force  is 
applied. 

A  vacant  room  is  the  best  place  in  which  to  give  the 
lessons,  it  serving  the  double  purpose  of  preventing  outside 
incidents  from  diverting  the  puppy's  attention,  and  restrain- 
ing his  freedom  within  proper  bounds.  It,  is  decidedly  de- 
sirable to  have  no  spectators,  it  being  self-evident  that  the 
trainer  should  have  the  puppy's  undivided  attention  in  his 
lessons,  which  he  cannot  have  unless  he  is  alone. 

The  whole  method  is  comprised  in  training  the  puppy, 
by  insensible  gradations,  from  carrying  an  object  in  play  for 
his  own  amusement,  to  carrying  it  to  command,  for  his  mas- 
ter's pleasure.  All  the  different  moods  and  peculiarities  of 
the  puppy  must  be  carefully  noted,  taking  advantage  of 
those  which  are  favorable,  and  guarding  against  those  which 
are  unfavorable.  Simply  by  constant  practice  he  learns  the 
meaning  of  the  orders,  and  obedience  is  established  by  force 
of  habit.  A  matter  of  prime  importance  to  remember  is 
that,  in  the  actual  work  of  the  dog  which  is  taught  after  this 
system,  since  he  obeys  of  his  own  will,  and  the  trainer  is 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  125 

entirely  without  any  compulsory  means  to  enforce  retrieving 
if  the  dog  once  refuses,  the  most  uniform  kindness  must 
always  be  associated  with  this  branch  of  his  work,  otherwise 
when  it  ceases  to  be  a  pleasure,  or  when  he  resents  pun- 
ishment, he  may  quit  permanently  as  a  retriever. 

The  usual  manner  of  beginning  this  training  is  to  engage 
the  puppy's  attention  to  a  ball  or  glove,  at  the  same  time,  by 
little  artifices  commonly  known,  exciting  his  playfulness. 
Assuming  that  the  ball  is  used,  it  is  then  thrown  gently  out: 
the  puppy  will,  in  most  instances,  run  after  it  and  pick  it  up. 
If  he  does  not,  his  playfulness  must  be  excited  by  tying  a 
handkerchief  to  the  end  of  a  stick  and  waving  it,  or  skim  it 
along  the  ground  in  front  of  him;  at  all  events,  his  playful- 
ness must  be  developed  by  some  means,  else  the  matter 
there  ends.  For  the  same  reason  he  must  be  permitted  to 
have  a  great  deal  of  latitude  in  carrying  and  playing  with 
the  ball,  in  the  beginning,  during  several  lessons.  In  these 
early  stages,  more  effort  should  be  made  to  amuse  the 
puppy  than  to  make  him  obedient,  thereby  gaining  his  per- 
manent interest  in  the  lessons,  as  a  habitual  diversion.  After 
that  is  accomplished,  the  training  can  commence.  When 
the  ball  is  thrown  out,  the  command  Fetch  should  be  given 
simultaneously  therewith,  and  by  many  times  repeating  the 
order  co-incidentally  with  the  act,  he  will  learn  to  associate 
the  two,  and  from  habit  will  obey.  When  he  is  proficient 
in  this  stage,  he  is  ready  for  the  next.  When  the  ball  is 
thrown  out,  hold  him  by  his  collar  a  few  moments  thereafter, 
then  when  he  is  released  give  the  order  Fetch.  If  he  strug- 
gle to  break  away  while  being  held,  he  should  be  held  firmly 
without  alarming  him.  He  can  gradually  be  held  longer 
and  longer,  accordingly  as  his  interest  and  fondness  for  frhe 
play  will  admit,  till  at  length  he  will  be  steady  and  retrieve 
to  order.  If  he  is  amused  properly,  he  will  have  a  passion- 
ate delight  in  the  lessons,  and  by  easy  intermediate  stages, 


126  MODERN    TRAINING. 

he  is  trained  from  carrying  and  fetching,  in  play,  to  retriev- 
ing to  command;  still,  he  retains  more  or  less  playfulness  in 
his  work  until  he  reaches  the  natural  steadiness  and  se- 
dateness  of  maturity.  His  playfulness,  however,  can  be 
judiciously  suppressed  to  a  certain  degree,  /.  <?.,  what  the 
dog  will  submit  to.  When  he  shows  the  slightest  alarm  or 
indifference,  the  limit  of  suppression  has  been  reached. 

Important  details  must  not  be  overlooked  as  the  dog  pro- 
gresses. As  soon,  in  the  primary  lessons,  as  he  will  carry 
the  ball  in  his  mouth  with  any  degree  of  certainty,  the  ef- 
forts should  be  directed  to  training  him  to  hold  it  gently  in 
his  mouth  without  tossing  it  in  the  air,  rolling  it  in  his 
mouth,  or  violently  shaking  or  biting  it.  If  he  cannot  be 
steadied  in  this  part  in  the  regular  lessons  without  exciting 
his  distrust,  it  can  be  taught  in  separate  lessons  in  a  differ- 
ent room  ;  for  a  dog  not  only  can  learn  to  associate  correc- 
tion with  a  certain  act,  but  he  also  learns  to  associate  it 
with  the  place  in  which  it  was  given,  and  will  anticipate  a 
recurrence  of  the  unpleasantness  if  taken  into  such  asso- 
ciated surroundings  ;  hence  it  is  obvious  that  no  unpleasant 
associations  should  be  established  with  the  place  wherein  he 
receives  his  regular  lessons. 

To  enforce  steadiness  in  carrying  the  ball,  a  little  mild 
severity  is  necessary.  Tie  a  short  rope,  two  or  three  feet 
long,  to  his  collar.  Make  him  stand  still  and  check  all  ef- 
forts to  frolic,  for  there  is  no  amusement  in  this  lesson.  It 
is  better  to  use  a  different  object  so  that  no  impediment 
may  arise  in  other  lessons  from  associating  unpleasantness 
with  the  ball.  A  glove  may  be  used,  and  this  will  serve  the 
better,  as  most  dogs  are  predisposed  to  bite  it.  Place  it  in 
hifc  mouth,  hold  the  left  hand  gently  but  firmly  under  his 
lower  jaw,  and  if  he  attempts  to  bite,  toss  or  eject  the  glove, 
give  him  a  tap  with  the  whip.  The  whip  should  be  used 
just  sufficiently  to  steady  him  without  alarming  him.  If  it 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  127 

excites  his  resentment  and  obstinacy,  he  must  be  forced  to 
hold  the  glove  in  his  mouth,  whether  he  will  or  not.  If  he 
drops  it,  put  it  in  his  mouth,  and  at  efery  attempt  to  eject 
it,  give  him  a  cut  of  the  whip,  and  the  order  Hold,  or  Steady. 
Make  him  stand  up  if  he  shows  any  attempt  to  lie  down. 
If  he  persists  in  dropping  it,  apply  the  whip  smartly.  He 
must  be  forced  to  hold  the  glove,  however  much  he  dislikes 
it.  When  he  will  hold  it  steadily  while  standing  still,  he 
may  then  be  led  about  the  room.  Any  act  other  than  car- 
rying it  with  regular  steadiness  should  receive  instant  cor- 
rection. After  several  lessons,  given  with  rigid  formality, 
he  will  carry  it  steadily.  The  order  Steady  should  be 
taught  so  that  he  will  instantly  desist  from  rolling  the  glove 
or  biting  it,  when  the  order  is  given.  Then  by  kindness  his 
interest  can  be  regained,  observing,  however,  that  he  must 
not  be  permitted  to  presume  on  it,  by  attempting  his  old 
tricks.  These  lessons  must  be  given  separately,  until  thor- 
oughly inculcated,  and  the  dog  carries  cheerfully  and  relia- 
bly. So  long  as  there  is  the  slightest  distrust  or  un- 
pleasantness, the  lessons  must  be  continued.  When  he 
has  reached  the  desired  proficiency,  these  lessons  can  be 
given  in  conjunction  with  the  regular  lessons  in  retrieving. 
If  the  dog  manifests  any  uneasiness  in  the  new  require- 
ments, some  little  tact  is  necessary  to  cajole  him  into  obe- 
dience. After  the  puppy  has  learned  to  fetch  the  glove  to 
his  trainer,  he  will  be  sure  to  display  some  peculiarities 
which  add  to  the  fun  from  his  point  of  view,  but  which 
should  be  corrected.  He  will  jerk  his  head  to  one  side  as 
the  trainer  reaches  for  the  ball,  or  he  will  hold  it  tightly 
with  his  teeth,  thus  refusing  to -deliver  it.  He  is  not  prop- 
erly trained  unless  he  wall  release  it  instantly  to  order. 
Many  good  trainers  fail  to  finish  the  education  in  this 
respect.  If  the  dog  will  not  release  the  ball  when  the 
trainer  grasps  it,  it  should  not,  by  any  means,  be  pulled  out 

9 


I2g  MODERN    TRAINING. 

of  his  mouth  forcibly,  or  any  force  applied  to  it.  Simply 
grasp  it  gently  and  command  him  to  Give,  at  the  same  time 
stepping  on  his  fore  foot,  pressing  harder  and  harder  until 
he  will  release  it.  Very  little  pressure  will  accomplish  the 
purpose.  It  is  astonishing  how  quickly  a  dog  will  learn  the 
meaning  of  this  order,  when  taught  in  this  manner.  After 
three  or  four  orders  conjoined  with  the  pinching  of  his 
toes,  he  will  release  the  ball  instantly  to  the  order,  Give; 
thus  by  a  very  little  care  he  may  be  prevented  from  acquir- 
ing a  very  disagreeable,  harmful  fault,  which  he  would 
always  retain.  Only  by  observing  and  perfecting  these  lit- 
tle details  is  the  finest  training  established. 

In  teaching  retrieving  by  this  method,  the  lesson  should 
never  be  continued  so  long  as  to  fatigue  the  dog,  or  impair 
his  interest  in  it.  The  associations  with  each  lesson  should, 
so  far  as  possible,  always  be  pleasant,  that  he  will  anticipate 
them  with  pleasure  and  conduct  himself  with  spirit,  bearing 
in  mind  also  that  this  method  is  dependent  for  its  success 
on  the  pleasure  or  willingness  of  the  dog;  and  if  the  affair 
at  any  juncture  becomes  too  serious  to  please  his  fancy,  it 
may  then  and  there  end,  so  far  as  it  usefully  relates  to 
retrieving. 

After  the  puppy  is  fairly  proficient,  he  should  be  re- 
quired to  bring  various  objects  which  he  can  conveniently 
carry.  If  trained  too  long  on  one  object,  he  may  become 
partial  to  it,  and  refuse  to  bring  all  others.  By  neglecting 
this  important  consideration,  the  amateur  will  learn  that, 
while  the  dog  may  readily  retrieve  a  glove  or  ball,  he,  from 
having  become  habituated  to  them,  will  not  retrieve  any 
other  objects.  The  transition  from  one  stage  to  another, 
and  one  object  to  another,  can  be  made  gradually  ;  for  in- 
stance, if  a  dog  will  fetch  a  glove  and  will  not  fetch  a  bird, 
the  wings  and  large  feathers  can  be  neatly  attached  around 
the  glove,  beginning  with  a  few  ;  then,  as  the  lessons  ad- 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  I2Q 

vance,  adding  more  and  more.  In  this  manner  the  repug- 
nance which  some  dogs  have  to  grasping  feathers  will  be 
overcome.  Also,  the  glove  may  be  increased  in  size  and 
weight  from  time  to  time,  by  stuffing  it  with  scraps  of  cloth; 
thus  he  will  learn  to  grasp  a  larger  and  heavier  object. 

The  most  precise  regularity  should  be  observed  in  giving 
these  lessons,  since  only  by  constant  repetition  and  diligent 
attention  can  obedience  be  established  as  a  habit.  Regular 
discipline  must  be  depended  upon  to  bring  his  will  into  sub- 
ordination. If  the  lessons  are  given  in  a  desultory-manner 
till  the  puppy  reaches  maturity,  it  is  useless  to  attempt  per- 
fect training  afterward  by  employing  this  method.  Even 
by  omitting  two  or  three  lessons,  or  conducting  the  lessons 
in  a  heedless  manner,  progress  may  be  impeded. 

As  to  the  quickness  with  which  the  dog's  fun  can  be  grad- 
uated into  steady  obedience,  much  depends  upon  the  tem- 
perament of  the  dog,  and  his  interest  in  the  work.  The 
training  does  not  always  progress  with  uniformity  even  when 
all  the  requirements  of  skillful  training  are  observed.  The 
dog  may  be  capricious  and  develop  successive  obstructive 
crotchets,  and  frequently  progress  is  thus  brought  to  a  stand- 
still. Under  such  circumstances  it  is  impossible  to  progress 
faster  than  the  humor  of  the  dog  will  admit,  if  at  all.  It  is 
very  injudicious  to  attempt  any  compulsory  treatment  un- 
less the  system  is  entirely  abandoned.  Such  would  surely 
chill  his  ardor,  and  have  a  corresponding  ill  effect  on  the 
training. 

Moreover,  whatever  care  may  have  been  taken  in  yard 
training,  the  greater  number  of  natural  retrievers  soon 
acquire  a  slovenly  manner  of  retrieving.  He  may  come  in  in 
segments  of  circles  ;  he  may  deliver  the  bird  with  reluctance 
or  give  it  a  vicious  pinch  as  he  releases  it;  he  may  toss  or 
roil  the  bird  in  his  mouth  ;  he  may  drop  it  several  yards 
from  his  handler  and  resume  hunting,  and  no  persuasion 


'3° 


MODERN    TRAINING. 


thereafter  will  induce  him  to  touch  it.  If  the  trainer 
attempts  to  correct  any  one  of  these  faults  by  punishment, 
it  invariably  results  in  the  end  of  retrieving.  The  dog  does 
not  comprehend  that  the  punishment  is  for  the  ill  manner 
of  retrieving,  but  he  applies  it  to  the  act  of  having  the  bird 
in  his  mouth  at  all,  the  difference  between  a  sound  bird  and 
crushed  one  being  nothing  to  him;  but  he  can  readily  per- 
ceive that  he  could  have  let  the  bird  alone.  So  with  other 
faults  relating  to  retrieving.  If  he  breaks  shot  to  retrieve, 
from  the  dog's  point  of  view  it  is  simply  a  desirable  effort  to 
get  the  bird  in  possession,  and  if  he  is  punished  therefor, 
he  associates  it  with  the  act  of  getting  the  bird  and  not  with 
a  failure  to  remain  steady,  as  his  handler  intended  it  should 
be.  Thereafter  the  dog  endeavors  to  avoid  punishment  by 
refusing  to  retrieve,  and  such  refusal  is  commonly  perma- 
nent unless  rebroken  by  the  force  system.  A  dog  taught  by 
the  natural  system  will  rarely  retrieve  more  than  one  species 
cf  game  well,  and  that  is  the  kind  which  he  has  hunted 
most.  One  trained  on  quails  will  refuse  to  retrieve  snipe; 
a  chicken  dog  may  refuse  to  retrieve  quails,  and  vice  versa. 
As  in  all  other  cases,  there  are  occasional  exceptions,  yet 
such  are  retrievers  more  from  their  natural  willingness  to 
please,  intelligence  and  comprehension  of  the  purposes  of 
hunting,  than  from  any  inherent  merit  in  the  system  of  edu- 
cation. The  same  peculiarities  may  be  observed  respecting 
retrieving  on  different  kinds  of  game  in  dogs  perfected  by 
force,  but  there  is  this  important  distinction,  the  handler 
always  has  the  means  of  soon  forcing  obedience. 

The  trainer  should  not  expect  to  find  any  dogs  which 
retrieve  from  inheritance  of  the  trait.  Instances  are  related 
of  puppies  which  began  to  retrieve  from  the  very  first  time 
birds  were  shot  over  them.  The  professional  trainer  is 
never  favored  with  dogs  of  this  kind,  although  they  per- 
fectly understand  what  is  meant,  and  have  many  times  seen 


BREAKING    AND     HANDLING.  13! 

the  act  which  is  mistaken  for  a  retrieve.  The  puppy  takes 
the  dead  bird  in  his  mouth  because  it  is  a  gratification  to 
him,  birds  being  part  of  his  natural  prey;  if  called  at  this 
juncture  he  may  hold  it  in  his  mouth  while  going  to  his 
master,  thus  it  may  have  a  slight  resemblance  to  a  retrieve; 
but  if  the  handler  had  waited  quietly  for  the  natural  com- 
pletion of  the  act,  he  would  have  noted  that  the  dog  com- 
pleted it  nicely  by  eating  the  bird.  Sometimes  by  repetition 
in  this  manner,  the  dog  can  be  induced  to  retrieve,  but  it  is 
always  very  faulty.  All  experienced  professionals  attach 
no  importance  to  an  act  of  this  kind.  They  perfect  the 
retrieving  lessons  regardless  of  it. 

In  his  first  years  of  training  when  the  author,  by  a  little 
experience  and  a  great  deal  of  reading,  had  qualified  to  an 
imaginary  degree  of  excellence  as  a  trainer,  having  theories 
unlimited,  and  a  performance  inverse  to  the  theories,  he 
adopted  the  so-called  natural  method;  and  had  an  abhor- 
rence of  the  forcing  system  on  account  of  its  reputed 
cruelty,  although  it  was  not  then  in  general  use.  The 
natural  system  worked  with  average  success,  which  was  con- 
sidered very  good  success,  as  no  better  method  at  that  time 
had  ever  been  practiced  in  that  section.  The  beauties  of 
the  system  and  the  cruelties  of  the  force  system  were  much 
descanted  on;  although  the  writer  had  never  seen  a  spike 
collar  at  that  time,  it  by  no  means  impaired  his  powers  of 
criticism  on  it;  this,  however,  not  being  peculiar,  as  such 
powers  relating  to  any  subject  appear  to  be  innate  in  all 
true  sportsmen.  At  length  the  writer  applied  the  system  to 
a  sedate,  mature  dog  which  had  neither  fun  nor  frolic  in  his 
composition.  He  had  a  great  deal  of  sense,  and  looked 
upon  life  as  too  serious  to  make  room  for  levity.  By  sun- 
dry blandishments  and  many  rewards  for  the  little  recogni- 
tions he  would  occasionally  condescend  to  show,  he  was 
wrought  up,  through  a  painfully  tedious  series  of  degrees,  to 


132  MODERN    TRAINING. 

a  point  where  he  would  exhibit  a  look  of  affected  cheerful- 
ness, and  on  rare  occasions,  when  he  had  an  unusually  pro- 
fuse flow  of  spirits,  he  would  cut  a  mild  caper  or  two,  if  a 
reward  was  in  sight.  By  assiduous  attention  he  was  per- 
fected to  a  degree,  wherein  he  had  the  whole  affair  calcu- 
lated to  a  nicety.  If  he  was  hungry,  he  would  fetch  a  glove 
to  order  for  a  reward,  but  he  performed  with  such  nonchal- 
ance that  it  was  hopelessly  discouraging  to  all  expectations 
of  spirited  work.  Hunger  would  not  improve  the  quality  of 
his  work  although  it  would  prolong  it  until  his  appetite  was 
satisfied,  whereupon  he  would  declare  the  lesson  off  for  that 
time,  and  his  fiat,  perforce,  had  to  be  accepted.  Thus  mat- 
ters stood  for  several  weeks,  the  dog  knowing  thoroughly 
just  what  profit  there  was  in  it  to  him;  and  he,  like  a 
rational  animal,  worked  to  get  the  most  out  of  it  that  was 
possible  for  the  least  effort.  At  such  times  as  he  did  not 
feel  inclined  to  begin  the  lesson  at  all,  it  was  necessarily 
adjourned  until  he  recovered  from  his  ennui.  Seeing  it 
stated  that  a  bone  was  a  peculiarly  nice  object  to  teach  the 
dog  to  retrieve,  he  was  practiced  with  it.  When  he  learnt 
that  the  bone  was  not  truly  his  own,  he  would  sit  and  calmly 
contemplate  it.  His  insouciance  became  so  irritating  that, 
sad  to  relate,  a  spike  collar  was  procured  and,  one  morning, 
his  self-complacency  was  greatly  shocked  by  a  practical 
introduction  to  its  application.  Within  a  few  weeks  there- 
after, a  better  retriever,  so  far  as  obedience,  quickness  and 
tender  retrieving  are  concerned,  could  not  be  desired.  This 
experience  changed  the  author's  views  entirely  in  respect  to 
the  efficacy  and  cruelty  of  the  spike  collar. 

However,  it  is  a  very  beneficial  experience  to  the  trainer, 
and  one  to  be  earnestly  recommended,  to  train  a  few  dogs 
to  retrieve  after  the  natural  method,  as  the  knowledge  of 
dog  character  and  manner  of  holding  his  attention,  so 
acquired,  the  necessary  self-discipline  in  giving  the  lessons, 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  133 

and  the  tact  in  developing  the  dog's  ideas,  are  all  valuable 
and  important  adjuncts  to  the  forcing  system;  precisely  the 
same  skill  is  required,  inasmuch  as,  if  the  forcing  system  is 
properly  applied,  it  is,  in  a  great  measure,  accessory  to  this 
system,  and  not  a  distinct  system  by  itself,  as  many  imagine. 

THE    FORCING    METHOD. 

Establishing  retrieving  by  force,  particularly  if  properly 
done  with  the  spike  collar  or  the  spike  collar  and  whip,  is  the 
superior  method  of  all  methods.  The  dog's  actions  are  con- 
stantly within  the  control  of  the  trainer;  and  even  the  manner 
and  force  with  which  the  dog  grasps  an  object  can  be  regu- 
lated. If,  at  any  time  in  the  dog's  life,  he  should  refuse  to 
retrieve,  there  is  always  the  means  at  hand  to  make  retrieving 
compulsory;  but  when  once  properly  taught,  a  retriever  per- 
fected by  force  is  always  a  retriever.  It  is  more  difficult  to 
apply  to  dogs  of  a  certain  disposition  than  the  natural 
method,  hence  some  trainers  give  the  latter  method  the  prefer- 
ence at  times;  yet  it  is  never  then  as  well  done,  although  it 
may  serve  the  purpose  of  satisfying  a  purchaser  or  owner. 

It  is  established  simply  by  associating  certain  acts  with 
freedom  from  punishment,  and  the  non-performance  with 
punishment.  The  spike  collar  has  advantages  because  it  is 
handier  and  more  efficacious.  Pinching  the  tail,  toes,  nose, 
pulling  the  ears,  or,  in  fact,  any  other  punishment  within 
proper  limits,  can  be  applied  effectively,  but  some  of  them, 
particularly  pinching  the  nose,  are  unnecessarily  brutal. 
There  is  no  method  whereby  the  punishment  can  be  so 
effectively  administered  conjointly  with  keeping  the  dog  in 
hand  and  quickly  impressing  the  desired  associations,  as 
with  the  spike  collar,  or  spike  collar  and  whip. 

A  few  trainers  use  the  whip  alone,  but  it  is  unnecessarily 
harsh  and  has  many  undesirable  results  when  so  used, 
although  there  are  dogs  of  such  obstinacy  that  the  whip  is 


134  MODERN    TRAINING. 

none  too  severe  to  accomplish  the  object;  with  such  it  is  the 
proper  instrument.  When  used,  however,  to  supplement 
the  spike  collar,  it  has  special  advantages;  and  they  can 
then  be  applied  with  far  less  punishment  to  accomplish  the 
purpose  than  if  either  were  used  alone.  The  other  forcing 
means  have  nothing  worthy  of  notice  save  their  novelty, 
forcing  a  dog  to  retrieve  through  the  instrumentality  of  the 
spike  collar  or  spike  collar  and  whip  being  the  approved 
method  with  the  greater  number  of  expert  trainers.  As  in 
all  other  branches  where  force  is  used,  to  teach  successfully 
by  this  system  requires  a  careful  study  of  the  disposition, 
different  temperaments  and  the  effects  of  punishment  on  the 
individual  dog  at  different  stages  of  his  training.  Forcing 
a  dog  to  retrieve  is  not  jerking  him  promiscuously  and  vio- 
lently about  from  the  very  beginning  till  he,  as  many  sup- 
pose, fetches  the  desired  object.  It  is  a  system  of  distinct 
stages  of  advancement,  nicely  graduated  into  each  other,  and 
each  stage  requires  some  peculiarities  of  treatment  differ- 
ing more  or  less  from  the  others.  Instead  of  being  a  mass 
of  coarse,  unreasoning  violence,  it  is  simply  punishment  in- 
telligently inflicted  in  small  doses,  to  establish  perfection, 
detail  by  detail.  To  do  this  in  the  best  manner  requires 
experience  and  knowledge  of  the  best  methods,  but  the 
novice  who  will  take  time  enough  and  follow  directions 
carefully  can  make  a  passable  success  if  he  has  any  talent 
for  dog  training;  if  he  has  none,  neither  experience  nor  in- 
struction will  avail. 

Now  there  is  a  great  deal  of  dexterity  in  the  manner  of 
jerking  the  dog,  and  equally  as  much  judgment  required  as 
to  the  degree  of  force  necessary,  and  the  correct  instant  at 
which  to  apply  it.  The  jerk  should  not  be  a  long,  sweeping 
one  which  will  carry  the  dog  along  with  it,  but  a  short, 
quick,  positive  jerk,  which  will  hardly  stir  the  dog  from  his 
place,  or  permit  him  to  do  so  even  if  he  wishes.  A  fair 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  135 

degree  of  manual  strength  and  dexterity  are  necessary  quite 
as  much  to  avoid  giving  unnecessary  punishment  as  to  pun- 
ish. Without  some  dexterity  the  trainer  cannot  manipulate 
the  collar  with  the  force,  promptness,  skill  and  correctness 
which  are  required.  He  must  be  ever  watchful  to  modify  or 
change  the  application  of  the  collar  according  to  the  pecu- 
liarities exhibited  by  the  dog,  and  no  two  dogs  require  pre- 
cisely the  same  treatment.  Jerking  a  dog  about  violently 
from  loss  of  temper  is  the  height  of  brutality.  By  no  pos- 
sibility can  such  acts  be  considered  a  part  of  intelligent 
training;  on  the  contrary,  they  defeat  the  purposes  of  train- 
ing by  cowing  the  dog,  breaking  his  spirit,  or  wrecking  his 
constitution.  The  punishment  should  not  be  so  severe  at 
any  time  as  to  terrify  him.  When  terror  stricken  he  is 
wholly  incapable  of  understanding  anything,  and  such 
severity  is  never  required  to  accomplish  the  purpose.  Rarely 
will  the  trainer  have  need  to  exert  himself  violently  if  the 
directions  herein  given  are  observed.  The  novice  usually 
begins  by  telling  the  dog  to  fetch,  and  begins  thereupon  to 
punish  violently  with  the  collar;  immediately  he  is  terribly 
angry,  perspires  profusely,  gives  commands  at  the  top  of  his 
voice,  and  continues  the  violence  till  man  and  dog  are 
exhausted,  and  the  neighborhood  disgusted.  Unless  such 
weakness  can  be  overcome,  the  trainer  would  do  well  to 
abandon  the  lessons.  No  experience  or  instruction  has 
any  value  when  the  trainer's  temper  is  uncontrollable. 
•  Before  beginning  the  retrieving  lessons,  the  dog  should 
be  accustomed  to  the  collar,  which  is  readily  done  by  put- 
ting it,  having  a  rope  eight  or  ten  feet  long  attached  to  it, 
on  his  neck.  Let  him  struggle  as  much  as  he  will,  holding 
him  steady  the  while,  and  keep  perfectly  passive.  Fre- 
quently he  bites  at  the  collar  and  attempts  to  fight  it;  let  him 
do  so  without  hindrance  until  he  is  satisfied  that  his  efforts 
are  futile  and  an  injury  to  himself.  The  flurry  generally 


136  MODERN    TRAINING. 

is  very  brief.  Permit  him  to  rest  and  collect  his  ideas,  then 
pull  gently  on  the  rope  and  let  him  struggle  again  if  he 
will.  Let  him  have  his  own  time,  for  there  is  no  occasion 
for  hurry,  or  gain  by  it.  Repeat  this  as  long  as  he  will 
struggle,  which  is  rarely  over  three  or  four  times;  at  all 
events  it  must  be  continued  till  he  will  lead  promptly  and 
easily  with  the  collar;  if  it  is  done  thoroughly  it  will  save 
trouble  at  a  later  stage  of  the  lessons.  If  the  dog  is  not  in 
good  health,  his  lessons  should  be  held  in  abeyance  until 
such  time  as  it  is  good. 

Next,  the  dog  should  be  taught  to  come  in  promptly  to 
order  from  a  short  distance,  say  ten  feet.  This  will  be  the 
outside  distance  that  he  will  be  required  to  be  away  from 
his  handler  in  the  early  lessons.  Give  the  order,  Come  in, 
and  jerk  at  the  same  time  with  sufficient  force  to  hurt  him  a 
little;  continue  this  till  he  comes  in,  then  pet  him  and  let 
all  punishment  cease.  After  awhile,  walk  away  to  the  length 
of  the  rope,  and  repeat  the  lesson.  When  he  will  lead  easily 
with  the  collar,  and  obeys  the  order  Come  in,  the  first  direct 
lessons  in  retrieving  may  be  given.  For  this  purpose  select 
a  vacant  room,  or  some  secluded,  quiet  place  where  they 
can  be  given  free  from  interruption.  The  hands  should  be 
protected  by  heavy  gloves,  a  precaution  that  should  never 
be  neglected.  They  prevent  the  rope  from,  chafing  the 
hands,  and  protect  them  from  abrasions,  bites  or  scratches. 
If  the  lessons  are  given  in  the  summer  time,  early  in  the 
morning  or  awhile  before  dusk  in  the  evening  being  coolest, 
are  the  best  times  for  the  purpose.  If  given  during  the 
heated  part  of  the  day,  the  dog  becomes  distressingly  warm 
and  listless,  and  he  is  then  in  no  condition  to  train;  in  fact, 
if  heated  during  any  lesson,  it  should  end,  or  else  permit  the 
dog  to  rest  till  he  cools  off  sufficiently.  When  the  dog  is 
panting  severely,  it  is  painful  to  him  to  keep  his  mouth  closed, 
and  he  has  neither  the  power  nor  inclination  to  hold  any- 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  137 

thing  in  it  for  other  than  the  briefest  period  of  time;  hence 
he  is  incapable  of  receiving  his  lesson  in  a  satisfactory  man- 
ner when  in  that  condition.  A  yard,  for  obvious  reasons,  is 
much  better  for  summer  training.  After  the  lessons  are 
begun  once,  they  should  be  given  punctually  every  day. 
This  is  specially  necessary  to  teach  thoroughly,  and  make 
proper  progress.  Frequently  by  neglecting  the  puppy  for  a 
few  days,  he  may  develop  some  whim,  crankiness  or  objec- 
tionable trait,  when  the  lessons  are  recommenced,  which 
will  add  greatly  to  the  trouble  of  teaching  him;  furthermore, 
a  puppy's  memory  is  not  always  retentive,  therefore  it  is 
pleasanter,  better  and  quicker  to  observe  precise  regularity. 
Nevertheless,  if  the  dog  is  cowed  much  by  the  use  of  the 
spike  collar,  suspension  of  the  lesson  for  a  week  or  two,  or 
until  his  confidence  and  spirits  are  restored  by  the  kindest 
treatment,  providing  he  has  been  trained  to  a  stage  in 
retrieving  where  little  punishment  is  required,  is  frequently 
very  beneficial  to  timid  dogs,  and  sometimes  to  obstinate 
ones.  If,  in  this  interval,  the  trainer  can  secure  the  affec- 
tions of  the  obstinate  dog,  he  may,  by  flattery  and  kindness, 
induce  him  to  take  an'  interest  in  retrieving  without  much 
punishment.  The  trainer  will  have  to  rely  on  his  own  judg- 
ment as  to  the  propriety  of  giving  the  dog  a  rest.  The  res- 
olutely obstinate,  sulky,*  churlish,  or  ill-natured  dog  will 
not  be  benefited  by  it. 

One  lesson  in  the  morning  and  evening  respectively  are 
sufficient  for  one  day;  and  the  lesson  should  not  be  long, 
say  fifteen  minutes,  unless  the  dog  is  unusually  stubborn  or 
vicious,  when  it  may  be  longer.  When  he  does  nicely  it 
may  be  shorter.  It  is  well  to  make  the  lesson  end  with 
some  little  act  of  pleasant  obedience.  Pet  the  dog  for 
doing  well,  and  learn  to  stop  without  attempting  to  force 
him  through  the  whole  course  at  once.  The  true  system  is 
to  teach  the  simple  elements  one  at  a  time,  perfecting  the 


j^g  MODERN    TRAINING. 

dog  carefully  in  one  stage  before  advancing  to  the  next. 
His  knowledge  then  will  be  uniformly  progressive,  the  dif- 
ferent details  will  be  thoroughly  understood,  his  confidence 
will  be  retained,  and  a  great  deal  of  unnecessary  violence 
will  be  avoided.  Remember,  that  this  branch  always  tries  a 
trainer's  fitness,  and  loud  tones,  turbulence  and  intensity  of 
feeling  detract  from  the  training;  if  present,  they  are  a  fault 
which  indicates  that  the  trainer  needs  training. 

A  corn  cob  is  a  very  good  object  to  begin  the  lessons  on. 
It  is  light,  neat,  not  disagreeable,  and  can  be  easily  replaced 
when  soiled.  A  pine  stick,  about  the  same  shape  and  size, 
is  also  good.  A  roll  of  tightly  wound  cloth,  about  six  inches 
long  and  an  inch  in  diameter,  is  frequently  used,  but  it 
absorbs  the  saliva  readily,  collects  dirt,  and  hence  has  unde- 
sirable properties. 

A  piece  of  half  inch  rope  about  eighteen  inches  long, 
fastened  to  the  spike  collar,  is  sufficiently  long  for  the  first 
lessons.  A  smaller  rope  would  cut  the  hands.  The  free 
end  of  the  collar  should  be  placed  on  top  of  the  dog's  neck, 
the  longer  part  running  from  the  hand  along  the  side  of  the 
dog's  neck  nearest  to  the  handler.  Grasp  the  end  of  the 
collar  close  to  the  dog's  neck  with  the  right  hand  and  hold 
the  pad  in  front  of  him  with  the  left.  The  dog  should 
stand  on  the  right  hand  facing  to  the  left,  nearly  at  right 
angles  to  the  front  of  his  tutor.  If,  during  the  lessons,  there 
is  any  moving  about,  the  same  relative  position  should  be 
maintained,  or  resumed  if  it  has  been  disturbed.  In  this 
position  the  dog  can  be  handled  better  and  more  effectively 
than  in  any  other;  and  by  always  assuming  the  same  posi- 
tion, uniformity  of  conditions  is  maintained — the  force  is 
always  applied  in  the  same  manner,  the  pad  is  held  in  the 
same  place,  and  the  dog  a-nd  handler  are  in  their  relative 
positions.  This  is  very  important  to  note,  and  no  deviation 
should  be  permitted.  To  show  the  importance  of  main- 


THE   FIRST  LESSON   IN   RETRIEVING. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  139 

taining  fixed  conditions  it  may  be  mentioned  that,  even 
when  the  dog  is  half  trained  in  the  primary  lessons,  if  the 
trainer  takes  the  collar  in  his  left  hand,  thus  reversing  the 
positions  if  he  is  right-handed,  the  dog  will  become  as  con- 
fused and  incapable  as  an  average  man  who  is  right-handed 
would  be,  in  wing  shooting,  if  required  to  shoot  from  the 
left  shoulder.  A  light  jerk  should  be  given  at  first  to  test 
the  dog's  temper  and  the  effects  of  the  collar,  there  being  a 
variety  of  effects  produced  on  different  dogs, — some  will  cry 
out  at  the  slightest  pain,  others  become  apathetic,  others 
again  become  obstinate  or  vicious,  or  frightened  or  sulky. 
Every  different  phase  requires  a  special  treatment.  The 
timid  dog,  or  the  one  which  will  cry  out  at  slight  punish- 
ment, should  be  forced  to  retrieve  with  the  greatest  delib- 
eration and  gentleness.  The  others  must  be  forced  to  obe- 
dience, always,  noting  the  effects  of  the  punishment,  and 
modifying  or  increasing  it  according  to  requirements. 

The  first  punishment  is  merely  to  make  the  dog  open  his 
mouth.  If  he  will  cry  out  at  slight  punishment,  that  is  all 
that  is  necessary  or  desirable  in  the  beginning.  Immedi- 
ately, when  he  opens  his  mouth,  place  the  object  in  it,  giving 
at  the  same  time,  in  a  quiet  tone  of  voice,  the  order,  Fetch. 
The  very  instant  that  the  corn  cob  is  in  his  mouth,  a  cob 
being  the  best  to  begin  on,  the  collar  should  be  slackened 
and  punishment  should  cease;  however,  he  should  be  forced 
to  remain  steadily  in  place  and  hold  the  cob.  In  the  first 
stages  it  is  better  to  retain  a  hold  on  the  cob  with  the  left 
hand  to  prevent  him  from  ejecting  it,  any  such  effort  meet- 
ing a  warning  pull  on  the  collar.  The  instant  cessation  of 
punishment,  when  the  dog  obeys  or  has  the  semblance  of 
obeying,  holds  good  throughout  every  stage  of  retrieving. 
If  the  dog  will  not  cry  out  when  the  collar  is  jerked  lightly, 
it  is  unwise  to  jerk  him  severely.  Catch  the  collar  close  to 
his  neck  with  the  right  hand,  give  the  hand  a  firm  twist  to 


140  MODERN    TRAINING. 

the  right  backward,  thus  drawing  the  collar  very  tightly 
around  his  neck  and  shutting  off  his  wind;  his  mouth  will 
open  instantly;  place  the  cob  in  it,  at  the  instant  loosening 
the  collar.  After  two  or  three  punishments  of  this  kind,  the 
most  obstinate  dogs  will  open  their  mouths  when  they  feel 
the  collar  tightening.  Thus  the  beginning  is  a  light  jerk 
for  those  that  will  cry  out  easily,  and  a  choke  for  such  as 
will  not.  The  latter  is  less  painful  and  terrible  to  the  dog 
than  violent  jerks  which  he  cannot  possibly  comprehend. 
Now,  the  amateur  should  make  a  firm  stand  to  avoid  the 
fault  which  is  common  to  all  amateurs,  and  which  has  the 
most  pernicious  effects,  namely,  he  should  not  begin  the 
next  stage  before  its  preparatory  stage  is  completed.  Keep 
the  dog  in  the  first  stage  until  he  will  open  his  mouth,  with- 
out punishment,  when  the  order  Fetch  is  given.  If  it  re- 
quires five  or  six  lessons,  or  five  or  six  dozen  lessons,  give 
them  faithfully,  for  it  is  self-evident  that,  if  the  dog  cannot 
perform  the  simple  parts,  he  cannot  reasonably  be  expected 
to  perform  the  more  complex. 

The  greatest  consideration  should  be  shown  the  dog  at 
this  stage.  Remember  that  he  is  wholly  ignorant  of  what 
is  required.  Even  if  he  does  not  perform  any  part  of  the 
act  perfectly,  he  should  be  excused,  providing  he  shows  any 
willingness  to  please.  Nothing  is  so  worthy  of  supreme 
contempt  as  punishing  a  willing  dog  which  from  ignorance 
cannot  obey.  Such  dog  should  be  shown  how  to  perform, 
and  repeated  lessons  are  necessary  by  which  to  teach  him. 
Remember  that  force  is  purely  an  accessory,  to  be  used 
only  when  needed.  The  amateur  may  think  that  so  much 
pains  with  details  are  unnecessary,  and  he  may  force  the 
training  unreasonably  fast.  If  the  dog  happens  to  be  of  the 
right  temperament  to  endure  the  punishment,  the  amateur 
may  make  a  success  ;  but  for  one  success  of  this  kind,  he 
will  make  a  dozen  failures  if  he  should  attempt  to  tram 
many  dogs. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  141 

After  the  cob  is  placed  in  the  dog's  mouth,  in  the  first  les- 
son, speak  kindly  to  him  and  allow  him  a  few  moments  to 
collect  himself.  Make  the  contrast  between  holding  the  cob 
in  his  mouth  and  refusing  to  hold  it,  as  distinct  as  possi- 
ble ;  the  former  by  kindness  and  approval,  the  latter,  by 
disapproval  and  punishment.  If  properly  managed,  he  in 
a  few  lessons  learns  to  open  his  mouth  at  the  command 
Fetch,  without  any  punishment. 

However,  at  this  stage,  certain  dogs  may  develop  some 
traits  which  will  complicate  matters  and  seriously  obstruct 
progress  unless  they  are  corrected  promptly  as  they  de- 
velop. The  amateur  pays  no  especial  attention  to  them,  but 
proceeds  as  if  they  were  a  matter  of  course.  The  follow- 
ing is  a  common  one  :  The  dog,  when  the  collar  is  pulled, 
may  lie  down  ;  in  this  position,  no  progress  can  be  made  in 
training.  The  lesson  should  be  entirely  suspended,  and  the 
efforts  devoted  to  making  him  stand  on  his  feet,  which  is 
distinctly  a  lesson  by  itself.  Shift  the  rope  into  the  left 
hand  and  take  a  good  light  whip  in  the  right.  Do  not  at- 
tempt to  jerk  him  into  position  with  the  collar,  for  while  the 
object  can  be  attained  by  that  means,  it  can  be  attained 
much  easier  in  a  greater  number  of  instances  with  a  light 
riding  whip  or  very  light  rawhide.  Tap  him  smartly  on 
his  toes,  at  the  same  time  giving  the  order,  Hold  up.  As  he 
pulls  one  foot  under  him  to  avoid  punishment,  immediately 
apply  the  whip  to  the  other  feet  and  deliberately,  but  per- 
sistently, apply  it  thus  until  he  stands  up.  The  retrieving 
lessons  may  then  be  resumed.  Any  repetition  of  the  fault 
should  be  invariably  corrected  in  the  same  manner,  thus  it 
soon  will  be  overcome. 

When  he  will  open  his  mouth  voluntarily  when  the  order 

Fetch  is  given,  he  is  prepared  for  the  next  stage,  which  is 

to  make  him  walk  one  or  two  steps  to  the  object  which  the 

trainer  holds  in  his  left  hand  in  front  of  him,  and  instead  of 

10 


142  MODERN    TRAINING. 

placing  it  in  the  dog's  mouth,  he  is  taught  to  step  forward 
and  grasp  it.  Hold  the  cob  about  fifteen  inches  in  front, 
conveniently  for  him  to  see  it  and  grasp  it  easily.  Then 
give  the  order  Fetch,  jerk  thecollar  in  a  line  with  the  object 
to  be  retrieved  so  as  to  impel  the  dog  toward  it  and  make 
him  grasp  it  himself,  yet  assisting  him  a  little  by  putting  it 
nearly  in  his  mouth  if  he  is  awkward  about  it.  At  this  stage, 
as  at  all  others,  the  moment  that  the  dog  has  the  object  in 
his  mouth,  all  punishment  should  instantly  cease.  Gently 
stroke  him  on  his  head,  and  speak  to  him  kindly.  Make 
him  perform  the  act  repeatedly  during  several  lessons,  and 
perfect  him  so  that  he  will  step  forward  and  grasp  the  ob- 
ject instantly,  without  punishment,  when  the  order  Fetch  is 
given.  The  most  disagreeable  trait  which  may  be  exhib- 
ited at  this  stage  is  jumping  backward  and  sagging  in  the 
collar,  a  serious  fault  that  must  be  thoroughly  corrected  be- 
fore progress  can  be  made.  When  he  jumps  backward, 
grasp  the  rope  with  both  hands  and  give  him  a  sharp  jerk, 
so  timing  it  that 'it  will  catch  him  at  the  end  of  his  back- 
ward movement ;  repeat  the  punishment  until  he  comes  for- 
ward to  place.  Every  time  that  he  repeats  the  fault,  repeat 
the  punishment,  for  he  must  be  forced  to  step  forward  when 
the  order  Fetch  is  given,  instead  of  going  backward.  If  the 
dog  is  vicious  and  attempts  to  bite,  which  is  a  rare  case,  put 
on  a  rope  about  five  or  six  feet  long  so  that  the  trainer  can 
stand  far  enough  away  for  safety.  Hold  a  good  heavy 
whip  in  the  hand  with  which  to  keep  him  off  if  he  attempts 
to  close  in  to  bite.  If  the  trainer  is  not  strong  physically, 
or  if  the  dog  is  very  vicious,  another  rope  can  be  tied  to 
his  collar  and  the  other  one  tied  to  a  tree,  post,  etc.  If  the 
dog  attempts  to  rush  on  the  trainer,  the  rope  will  prevent 
him  from  following  him  up.  The  sooner  a  dog  of  this  kind 
is  subjugated,  the  better.  Apply  the  whip  liberally  and  se- 
verely until  he  surrenders.  Once  subdued,  he  is  perma- 
nently conquered. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  143 

When  the  dog  has  learned  to  grasp  the  object,  he  may 
have  other  disagreeable  traits  when  he  walks  in.  He  may 
run  behind  his  handler  on  the  right  side  or  the  left,  and  do 
this  repeatedly.  This  is  faulty.  He  should  be  required  to 
stand  squarely  in  front  of  his  handler.  When  he  runs  be- 
hind, the  handler  should  not  change  his  own  position.  Meet 
the  dog  with  a  cut  of  the  whip  from  the  opposite  side  to 
that  which  he  ran  by,  and  whip  him  back  to  his  place.  If 
this  is  repeated  a  few  times  he  will  learn  to  refrain  from 
running  behind.  Speak  kindly  to  him  when  he  is  in  his 
proper  place,  thus  making  correct  acts  pleasant,  and  faulty 
ones  unpleasant.  The  whip  should  be  convenient  to  hand, 
either  lying  close  by  on  the  ground,  or  placed  under  a  belt 
on  the  person. 

Other  faults,  some  of  which  the  amateur  is  predisposed 
to  treat  with  severity,  should  be  indulgently  considered.  In 
his  first  lessons  the  dog  will  grasp  the  object  awkwardly 
and  will  sometimes  drop  it  from  this  cause,  in  which  event 
he  should  be  permitted  to  again  grasp  it  without  punish- 
ment if  possible.  When  punishment  can  be  avoided,  it  is 
so  much  gained.  By  continued  repetitions  the  dog  will 
learn  to  grasp  it  correctly,  however  backward  he  may  be  in 
the  beginning.  He  does  not  fully  comprehend  at  the  begin- 
ing  that  he  is  to  grasp  it,  as  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  he 
will  simply  rest  his  nose  on  it,  thinking  that  he  has  complied 
with  the  order,  although  some  obstinate  dogs  will  do  the 
same  thing  when  they  know  precisely  what  is  required. 

If  the  dog  crouches  and  crawls  between  the  feet,  close  the 
ankles  on  his  neck  and  give  him  several  cuts  on  the  nose 
with  the  whip  from  behind.  Two  or  three  corrections  will 
cure  this  very  common  fault.  The  most  difficult  part  of  the 
system  is  in  teaching  the  beginning,  and  if  pains  are  not 
taken  to  correct  these  obstructive  faults,  they  are  a  drag  to 
progress,  and  may  entirely  prevent  the  trainer  from  achiev- 


144  MODERN    TRAINING. 

ing  success.     When  once  corrected,  they  are   permanently 
cured. 

When  the  dog  will  step  forward  and  grasp  the  cob  to  or- 
der, without  hesitation  or  awkwardness,  he  may  be  taught 
next  to  take  it  from  the  hand  when  it  is  lowered  two  or  three 
inches.  He  may  refuse  to  lower  his  head  or  grasp  it  in  the 
new  position,  but  he  can  be  taught  this  part  as  before.  Thus 
he  is  perfected  in  each  successive  stage  till  he  will  take  the 
cob  from  the  hand  on  a  level  with  the  ground.  With  some 
dogs  which  are  willing  to  obey,  these  successive  stages  may 
be  overcome  much  more  expeditiously.  As  the  dog  moves 
forward  to  grasp  the  cob  to  order,  it  can  be  moved  forward 
and  at  the  same  time  gradually  downward  ;  he  will  follow 
it  with  his  mouth  in  trying  to  grasp  it.  This  should  be 
done  with  tact,  sometimes  requiring  him  to  follow  it  a  few 
inches,  sometimes  nearly  to  the  ground,  and  other  times 
simply  to  grasp  it  when  held  at  a  level  with  his  nose.  Now, 
at*this  stage,  or  even  an  earlier  one,  if  the  trainer  is  artful, 
he  may  induce  the  dog  to  retrieve  without  further  punish- 
ment. If  the  dog  has  a  good  temper  and  is  willing  to  obey, 
the  trainer  may  induce  him  to  play  by  moving  the  cobteas- 
ingly  to  and  fro  in  front  of  him,  all  the  other  conditions  of 
collar,  position,  etc.,  remaining  the  same.  If  he  springs 
forward  and  grasps  it,  and  shows  some  interest  and  pride 
in  his  success,  permit  him  to  carry  it,  and  praise  him.  The 
spike  collar  has  been  applied  sufficiently  to  accomplish  all 
that  is  necessary  to  make  him  always  obedient  and  to  estab- 
lish all  the  necessary  rudiments  fora  finished  retriever.  The 
collar,  however,  may  be  left  on  him  during  many  successive 
lessons  to  enforce  the  necessary  promptness  and  to  suppress 
any  faults  which  may  show  signs  of  developing,  such  as  a 
hard  mouth,  refusal  to  come  in,  etc.  This  playfulness  can 
only  be  developed  in  comparatively  few  instances.  The 
greater  number  have  to  be  drilled  through  each  successive 
stage,  with  painstaking  formality. 


'BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  145 

When  the  dog  will  grasp  the  cob  from  the  hand  when  it 
is  on  the  floor,  there  is  usually  next  a  troublesome  stage  to 
teach,  /.  e.,  to  pick  the  cob  up  off  the  floor.  This  is  caused 
by  the  awkwardness  of  the  dog  in  grasping  the  cob,  he  not 
being  conscious  of  the  proper  manner  of  doing  it  when  un- 
der compulsory  teaching,  as  when  he  does  it  voluntarily.  If 
he  experience  any  difficulty  in  grasping  it  when  it  is  on  the 
floor,  the  hand  can  be  lowered  to  the  floor,  the  backs  of  the 
fingers  resting  on  it,  then  let  one  end  of  the  cob  rest  on 
the  floor,  the  other  on  the  ends  of  the  fingers,  thus  he  can 
get  his  lower  jaw  under  it  without  difficulty.  Mr.  N.  B. 
Nesbitt,  an  eminent  expert  trainer,  uses  a  very  ingenious 
contrivance  which  fills  the  requirements  of  this  stage  admi- 
rably. A  piece  of  soft  wood,  about  the  size  of  a  corn  cob, 
has  a  couple  of  small  pieces  set  cross-wise  at  right  angles 
in  each  end,  thus  forming  an  object  having  some  resem- 
blance to  a  miniature  saw-horse.  When  it  rests  on  the 
ground  there  should  be  space  enough  underneath  it  to  read- 
ily admit  the  dog's  under  jaw.  As  this  stage  is  the  most 
difficult  to  teach,  any  contrivance  which  is  valuable  should 
not  be  omitted.  If,  at  this  stage,  he  should  become  con- 
fused, it  is  better  to  re-commence  at  a  previous  stage,  and 
by  degrees  work  him  again  to  this  stage.  It  will  thus  often 
save  punishment  or  avoid  confusing  the  dog  so  much  that 
he  does  not  know  what  act  to  perform. 

In  exceptional  instances  the  dog  may  absolutely  refuse 
to  lift  the  cob  or  other  object  off  the  ground  and  may  sit 
down  and  throw  his  nose  high  in  the  air.  No  progress  can 
be  made  until  this  fault  is  corrected.  Hold  the  whip  in -the 
right  hand,  the  rope  in  the  left,  whip  him  lightly  over  the 
nose  till  he  lowers  it.  There  is  no  need  of  hurry  or  sever- 
ity. Every  time  he  raises  his  nose,  repeat  the  punishment. 
An  expert  trainer  can  hold  both  the  whip  and  rope  in  the 
right  hand  and  can  manipulate  one  or  the  other  as  the  oc- 
casion requires. 


!46  MODERN    TRAINING. 

Another  very  objectionable  trait  may  be  exhibited  by  an 
obstinate  dog,  at  this  stage  of  his  lessons,  namely,  he  may 
deliberately  walk  or  crawl  past  the  pad  although  well  know- 
ing where  it  is  and  how  to  pick  it  up.  Some  cunningly  pre- 
tend not  to  see  it.  Prevent  him  from  crawling  by  or  pass- 
ing it,  by  tapping  him  over  the  nose  with  the  whip,  thus 
punishing  him  for  avoiding  the  object  and  driving  him  back 
to  his  proper  position.  This  fault  is  disccuragingly  obstruc- 
tive if  not  corrected,  but  is  easily  cured  in  two  or  three  at- 
tempts by  this  means. 

After  he  will  pick  up  the  cob  willingly  to  order,  it  may  be 
thrown  a  short  distance,  two  or  three  feet  away,  gradually 
increasing  the  distance  as  he  becomes  more  and  more  pro- 
ficient with  each  succeeding  lesson.  A  lighter  and  longer 
cord  may  now  be  put  on  him  simply  to  keep  him  in  subjec- 
tion as,  if  he  has  been  properly  taught,  he  will  need  very 
little  punishment  thereafter.  When  the  cob  is  thrown  out, 
if  the  dog  does  not  start  promptly  to  the  order  Fetch,  catch 
the  collar  close  to  his  neck,  hold  the  cob  in  front  of  him, 
give  the  cob  a  toss,  the  dog  a  jerk  after  it  and  the  order, 
Fetch,  all  at  the  same  instant.  Repeat  till  he  will  start  after 
the  cob  the  moment  he  is  ordered. 

When  he  picks  up  the  cob,  he  may  stand  perfectly  still 
or  refuse  to  turn  around  facing  his  handler.  If  he  is  jerked 
with  the  collar,  it  will  probably  throw  the  cob  out  of  his 
mouth.  A  better  way  is  to  hold  him  steadily  with  the  rope 
giving  him  at  the  same  time  some  light  cuts  with  the  whip 
on  his  hind  legs  ;  this  will  force  him  to  quickly  face  toward 
his  trainer,  when  he  will  generally  obey  the  order  Come  in. 
At  this  stage  he  may  be  encouraged  and  given  an  incentive 
to  action  by  giving  him  an  occasional  reward  for  good  per- 
formance. Now  the  trainer  can  form  a  very  good  estimate 
of  his  skill  by  the  degree  of  confidence  which  the  dog  has 
in  him.  Except  in  the  case  of  an  extremely  obstinate  dog, 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  147 

the  trainer  should  be  able  to  hold  his  dog's  confidence  and 
affection.  If  he  has  failed  to  do  so  his  application  of  meth- 
ods has  been  faulty. 

After  he  will  fetch  the  cob  nicely,  the  dog  may  show  a 
tendency  to  frolic,  but  all  capers  should  be  suppressed. 
Anything  more  than  cheerful  obedience  is  not  required,  and 
is  not  consonant  with  a  finished  education. 

At  almost  any  stage  in  the  training,  he  may  show  an  in- 
clination to  grasp  the  cob  or  other  object  with  too  firm  a 
grip,  or  even  bite  it.  When  this  tendency  toward  a  hard 
mouth  is  observed,  an  object  should  be  specially  prepared 
for  him  to  retrieve.  Drive  some  slim,  wrought  tenpenny 
nails  through  it  in  various  directions,  clinching  the  ends  so 
that  the  surface  will  be  as  evenly  covered  as  possible. 
When  he  closes  his  teeth  on  such  object  once,  he  is  very 
cautious  thereafter,  and  may  refuse  to  retrieve  at  all;  if  so, 
begin  the  lessons  again  from  the  first  stage,  and  accustom 
him  to  it  by  degrees.  The  dog  intensely  dislikes  to  close 
his  teeth  on  iron,  and  will  retrieve  any  object,  protected 
with  it,  with  the  greatest  tenderness.  No  sharp  points  are 
desirable  or  necessary  on  the  object  which  he  retrieves. 
He  should  be  regularly  drilled  on  this  object  till  a  habit  of 
grasping  with  a  tender  mouth  is  firmly  established.  It  is 
worthy  of  mention  in  this  relation,  that  a  dog  thus  trained 
can  be  made  a  tender  mouthed  retriever  to  a  certainty. 
There  is  no  qualification  to  it  whatever  save  the  one  of  his 
trainer's  skill  and  industry.  There  is  no  trouble  to  inculcate 
promptness,  precision,  and  tender  handling  of  the  bird. 
However,  the  lessons  must  be  repeated  regularly,  prompt 
obedience  invariably  required,  and  the  dog's  intelligence 
developed — once  discipline  is  established,  the  rest  follow 
easily. 

He  may  next  be  given  lessons  in  a  yard  or  room  from 
which  he  cannot  escape;  and  the  checkcord  may  be  re- 


148  MODERN    TRAINING. 

moved.  If  he  refuses,  a  jerk  on  the  collar  usually  insures 
obedience.  Any  attempt  at  evasion  should  not  be  tolerated 
for  an  instant.  Do  not  attempt  to  coax  him.  In  this  sys- 
tem the  praises  and  rewards  only  come  when  the  perform- 
ance is  completed.  No  repetition  of  orders  should  be 
given  after  the  dog  understands  them.  One  order  is  suffi- 
cient. If  a  dog  can  be  taught  to  drop  instantly  to  shot  and 
wing,  he  can  be  taught  equally  prompt  obedience  to  all 
orders. 

He  may  next  be  drilled  in  retrieving  a  dead  bird.  Some 
dogs  retrieve  it  without  any  further  effort  on  the  part  of  the 
trainer,  others  have  to  be  in  a  manner  rebroken  from  the 
beginning.  If  the  dog  shows  any  disposition  to  bite  or 
pinch  the  bird,  some  tenpenny  nails  can  be  tied  about  an 
inch  apart  around  the  body,  and  parallel  with  its  length;  or 
the  nails  can  be  sewed  to  two  small  loops  of  elastic,  one  at 
each  end,  which  can  be  quickly  slipped  over  a  bird.  This 
will  force  him  to  grasp  the  bird  with  the  greatest  tenderness, 
and  will  be  a  lesson  which  he  will  never  forget.  Sharp 
pointed  wires  driven  through  the  body  of  the  bird  are  un- 
necessary. Repeat  the  lessons,  with  the  bird  as  the  object 
to  be  retrieved,  until  he  will  obey  with  the  greatest  certainty 
and  correctness. 

Next  the  lessons  may  be  repeated  in  the  open  fields.  If 
the  dog  has  beei>  properly  trained,  he  will  not  need  either 
checkcord  or  collar  at  this  stage  to  prevent  his  running 
away;  but  if  there  is  any  danger  of  bolting,  it  is  better  to 
take  the  proper  precautions  against  it.  It  is  better  to  guard 
against  running  away  if  he  evinces  the  slightest  inclination 
to  do  so,  for  if  he  runs  away  once  he  will  be  constantly  on 
the  alert  for  another  opportunity,  and  it  may  require  weeks 
of  discipline  to  correct  the  carelessness  of  a  moment. 

After  each  lesson,  when  the  collar  is  taken  off,  the  dog 
should  not  be  released  immediately,  but  should  be  held  and 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  149 

petted  until  he  has  regained  his  self-confidence  and  cheer- 
fulness. A  short  run,  giving  him  perfect  freedom,  will  serve 
to  keep  a  good  understanding  between  handler  and  dog, 
particularly  if  the  dog  is  kindly  noticed  betimes.  No  train- 
ing in  actual  field  retrieving  should  be  attempted  between 
lessons  before  the  dog  is  reliably  obedient;  it  never  fails 
to  end  in  trouble  or  failure,  frequently  it  causes  the  dog 
to  bolt. 

Thus  we  have  followed  the  dog's  progress  step  by  step 
through  the  simple  act  of  fetching  an  object;  we  now  con- 
sider some  accessory  acts  which  are  necessary  to  give  it  an 
approximate  resemblance  to  the  manner  of  field  work. 
When  the  dog  will  fetch  in  the  early  lessons  with  a  fair  de- 
gree of  certainty,  the  cob  can  be  thrown  out  and  the  dog 
held  by  his  collar  for  a  few  moments,  then  give  the  order 
Fetch.  This  should  be  repeated  a  sufficient  number  of 
times  in  a  sufficient  number  of  lessons  till  he  is  familiar 
with  it.  If  he  has  been  taught  to  drop,  which  as  a  matter 
of  course  should  be  done  in  separate  lessons,  he  may  be 
required  .to  drop  and  remain  steady  when  the  cob  is  thrown 
out,  until  he  receives  the  order  Fetch.  It  will  be  necessary 
to  use  the  checkcord  in  these  lessons.  They  should  be  con- 
tinued until  he  is  perfectly  steady  to  the  drop  when  any 
object  is  thrown  out,  and  will  not  stir  till  ordered  to  re- 
trieve. If  he  is  over-enthusiastic  and  willing,  do  not  de- 
stroy his  confidence  by  severity.  Restrain  him  mildly  with 
the  checkcord,  and  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  keep  him  at  the 
drop,  without  violence.  When  he  understands  what  is 
required,  he  will  gradually  submit.  Hence  it  is  apparent 
that  jerking  the  dog  about  is  unnecessary. 

When  he  is  given  the  order  to  Fetch,  do  not  balk  him  by 
immediately  afterward  commanding  him  to  drop.  It  con- 
fuses him  and  is  no  part  of  field  work  in  any  relation. 
When  a  puppy  is  sent  to  retrieve  there  are  no  half  way 


I50  MODERN    TRAINING. 

measures  about  it.  This  is  a  very  common  and  vicious 
fault  with  amateurs,  and  a  very  obstructive  one  in  many 
cases. 

It  is  desirable  that  the  dog  retrieve  with  a  high  head,  or 
at  least  delivers  the  bird  to  hand  in  such  manner.  He  can 
be  habituated  to  this  manner  by  giving  him  a  reward  when 
he  fetches  the  bird  or  by  petting  him,  and  refraining  from 
taking  the  bird  from  him  until  he  holds  his  head  up. 

Some  sportsmen  prefer  that  the  retriever  will  assume  a 
sitting  posture  while  delivering  the  bird;  such  has  no  special 
value,  but  is  considered  as  being  more  elegant.  To  make 
it  a  part  of  the  act  of  retrieving,  it  should  be  taught  in 
separate  lessons  at  first.  Tie  a  rope  to  his  collar,  tap  him 
gently  over  the  hips  till  he  sits  down;  the  trainer  can  pre- 
vent him  from  lying  down  with  the  rope.  A  snap  of  the 
fingers  is  all  the  order  that  is  necessary  at  first;  later  he  can 
be  taught  to  obey  a  slight  motion  of  the  hand  alone.  The 
lessons  should  be  continued  until  he  is  obedient  to  the 
signal.  While  in  a  sitting  position  he  maybe  given  rewards, 
and  will  soon  learn  to  be  seated  for  them.  When  perfected, 
it  may  then  be  added  to  retrieving. 

Even  when  he  will  perform  accurately,  the  lessons  must 
be  continued  during  some  weeks  to  establish  a  lasting  disci- 
pline. His  powers  of  observation  by  cultivation  are  also 
improved,  and  by  association  he  becomes  affectionately 
attached  to  his  trainer.  The  lessons  can  be  given  under 
different  surroundings,  such  as  different  places  in  the  fields 
while  giving  him  a  run,  different  places  about  the  yard,  and 
different  objects.  He  can  be  trained  to  retrieve  a  piece  of 
steak,  an  egg,  a  bunch  of  keys,  or  other  small  objects,  but 
these  partake  of  the  nature  of  a  trick.  If  the  trainer  lives 
in  a  section  where  he  can  procure  quails,  snipe,  woodcock 
and  prairie  chickens,  he  can  make  his  dog  a  finished  retriever 
on  each  kind.  The  lessons  under  different  surroundings 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  151 

should  not  be  neglected.  As  intimated  in  other  places  in 
this  work,  obedience  may  b'e  given  to  orders  under  the  con- 
ditions and  surroundings  which  prevailed  when  the  dog  was 
taught,  and  he  may  absolutely  refuse  under  all  other  condi- 
tions, except  force  is  used. 

In  the  preparatory  yard  and  field  lessons,  it  is  beneficial 
to  give  the  dog  some  discipline  in  carrying  the  bird  steadily 
for  several  minutes,  while  following  his  trainer.  Also  drop 
the  bird  slyly  in  such  a  place  that  the  dog  will  come  across 
it.  If  he  picks  it  up  without  any  order,  after  he  carries  it  a 
short  distance  relieve  him  of  it,  and  praise  him  generously. 
This  lesson  should  be  repeated  until  the  dog  will  pick  up 
the  bird  without  any  order,  and  without  feeling  his  trainer's 
eye  upon  him,  for  the  eye  has  a  great  controlling  influence 
over  a  dog.  It  is  advisable  to  repeat  this  lesson  betimes  in 
the  field.  It  has  an  application  in  regular  shooting;  occa- 
sionally the  dog  will  find  a  dead  or  wounded  bird  which  the 
shooter  shot  at,  but  was  not  conscious  of  hitting.  When 
the  dog  finds  a  bird  some  distance  away  from  his  handler, 
he  should  retrieve  it  without  orders.  If  trained  nicelyj  he 
will  take  a  great  deal  of  pride  in  so  doing,  knowing  well 
that  it  is  commendable.  Occasionally  a  dog  of  superior 
intelligence  will  voluntarily  retrieve  a  bird  which  he  acci- 
dentally finds;  but  a  few  lessons  while  training  are  not 
injurious  or  troublesome,  and  they  should  not  be  neglected 
when  they  so  particularly  enlarge  the  scope  of  a  dog's  ideas 
and  usefulness. 

In  introducing  him  to  the  first  actual  retrieving  to  the 
gun,  some  precautions  are  necessary  to  insure  a  correct 
beginning.  If  the  dog  is  gunshy,  excessively  timid,  bird- 
shy  or  unsteady  to  wing  or  shot,  he  is  not  ready  for  field 
retrieving  until  these  are  cured;  otherwise  objectionable 
complications  are  sure  to  arise  which  may  require  weeks  to 
cure.  Notwithstanding  all  the  care  expended  on  his  pre- 


152  MODERN    TRAINING. 

liminary  training,  under  the  excitement  of  the  presence  of 
birds,  the  smell  of  blood  and  the  instinctive  desire  to  kill, 
he  may  show  a  determination  to  crush  his  birds  and  may 
entirely  forget  about  retrieving.  This  transitionary  stage  is 
the  troublesome  one  in  field  retrieving,  and  it  is  very  brief 
if  managed  skillfully.  Leave  the  spike  collar  on  him  during 
the  first  few  retrieves.  No  checkcord.  is  necessary.  Walk 
up  with  him  to  the  bird  and  make  him  fetch  it  properly.  If 
he  evinces  any  intention  to  bite  it,  put  on  the  elastic  bands 
and  nails  hereinbefore  mentioned,  throw  out  the  bird  and 
let  him  rush  on  it  without  restraint.  When  he  closes  on  it 
he  receives  a  lesson  which  he  never  forgets.  He  may  then 
refuse  to  retrieve  it  to  order,  but  can  be  easily  forced  to  do 
so.  When  he  retrieves  the  first  few  birds  they  should  be 
thrown  out  several  times,  arid  the  dog  required  to  retrieve 
them.  Rigid  formality  in  details  is  necessary  in  the  begin- 
ning; at  a  later  period  it  is  not  so  necessary.  By  starting 
him  properly  in  field  retrieving  in  this  manner,  he  is  a 
tender-mouthed,  obedient  retriever  for  life,  and  by  a  little 
care  in  handling,  the  quality  of  his  work  can  be  improved 
by  experience,  or  at  least  maintained  at  a  uniform  grade  of 
excellence  at  all  times. 

Hunting  him  in  company  with  badly  trained  dogs  will  be 
sure  to  injure  his  retrieving.  Under  no  circumstances 
should  two  dogs  be  sent  at  the  same  time  to  retrieve  a  dead 
bird.  From  jealousy  or  rivalry  one  will  attempt  to  take  it 
away  from  the  other,  the  bird  is  mutilated,  and  the  dog 
has  learned  something  he  ought  not  to  learn.  An  expert 
trainer  can  make  two  dogs  search  for  a  dead  bird,  but  the 
moment  that  one  dog  finds  it,  the  other  is  dropped  to  a  sig- 
nal or  quiet  order;  but  few  amateurs  have  their  dogs  so 
perfectly  under  control  as  to  justify  them  in  attempting  this 
performance.  Bad  tricks  are  acquired  with  wonderful 
quickness,  by  imitation  and  natural  predisposition,  hence 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  153 

the  constant  need  of  guarding  against  the  company  of  half- 
broken  dogs.  Mutilating  the  birds  is  perfectly  natural  to 
the  dog,  birds  being  part  of  his  natural  prey,  therefore  mu- 
tilating is  only  bad  in  so  far  as  it  is  against  the  purposes  of 
the  handler;  yet  this  shows  the  need  of  taking  precautions 
against  circumstances  which  may  unnecessarily  excite  his 
destructive  propensities. 

A  few  individuals  learn  readily  to  mark  the  fall  of  a  dead 
bird,  or  the  flight  of  a  wounded  bird.  A  retriever  having 
this  accomplishment  is  incomparably  superior  to  one  which 
needs  assistance  at  every  retrieve.  The  one  goes  directly 
to  the  bird,  the  other  has  to  search  tediously  for  it.  A 
little  assistance  can  be  contributed  toward  developing  this 
accomplishment,  by  standing  in  an  open  field  a  few  yards 
away  from  the  edge  of  some  timber,  which  is  not  so  dense 
as  to  entirely  obstruct  the  view.  By  throwing  objects  into 
the  timber  for  him  to  retrieve,  he  may  learn  to  mark  their 
flight  and  fall,  if  due  care  is  taken  to  have  him  see  them 
when  they  are  thrown.  Such  lessons  will  materially  assist 
to  develop  intelligent  dogs,  but  there  are  dogs  which  never 
learn  more  than  the  mere  acts  of  seeking  and  fetching. 

The  proper  time  to  begin  the  lessons  in  retrieving  after 
the  training  has  begun  varies  greatly  according  to  the  dis- 
positions of  different  dogs.  An  obstinate  dog  can  be 
benefited  by  making  retrieving  his  first  lesson.  The  sub- 
jugation which  always  results  from  skillful  use  of  the  collar 
is  general  in  its  effects — he  is  more  thoroughly  obedient  in 
every  part  of  training.  The  timid  dog  should  be  permitted 
to  gain  courage  and  assurance  by  freedom  in  the  field  before 
being  forced  to  retrieve.  The  trainer  will  do  wisely  to  note 
all  the  peculiarities  of  his  dog,  and  if  there  is  any  reason  for 
or  against  forcing  the  dog  to  retrieve  at  a  certain  time,  the 
trainer  should  defer  it  accordingly.  If  the  amateur  is  not 
pressed  for  time,  it  is  better  to  simply  give  the  yard  lessons 


154  MODERN    TRAINING. 

in  retrieving  in  the  first  season  and  finish  the  field  retrieving 
in  the  second  season.  By  this  course  many  of  the  undesir- 
able features  which  casually  appear  in  the  puppy's  first  field 
work  are  avoided. 

To  recapitulate,  do  not  hurry;  teach  one  detail  at  a  time; 
hold  the  dog's  affections;  be  governed  largely  in  the  applica- 
tion of /orce  by  the  dog's  disposition;  give  the  lessons  punct- 
ually and  repeatedly,  to  the  end  that  obedience  becomes 
habitual;  correct  all  casual  faults  as  they  appear,  and  remem- 
ber that  the  collar  is  simply  an  instrument  to  make  the  dog 
pick  up  a  bird  and  carry  it,  a  very  small  part  of  perfect  retriev- 
ing. The  comprehension  of  its  purposes,  the  knowledge  of 
all  details  concerning  it,  can  be  acquired  only  by  experience 
and  skillful  handling  when  afield.  When  it  is  applied  prop- 
erly, it  is  a  combination  of  the  best  parts  of  the  two  sys- 
tems, /.  e.,  the  natural  method  and  the  force  system.  The 
compulsory  pressure  is  only  required  in  the  beginning;  if 
the  trainer  does  not  succeed  in  dispensing  with  force  after 
that  period,  he  has  failed  to  understand  the  application  of 
the  art. 

The  manner  in  which  a  dog  is  trained  to  retrieve  when 
working  as  one  of  a  brace  is  described  under  the  head  of 
Brace  Work. 

find,  Seek,  Seek  Dead.  These  commands  are  used  inci- 
dentally with  retrieving.  They  denote  that  the  dog  is  to 
search  for  a  dead  or  wounded  bird  which  has  fallen  to  the 
gun.  The  trainer  teaches  him  obedience  to  one  or  the 
other  of  these  orders,  but  such  order  should  be  given  to  the 
exclusion  of  all  others,  when  once  taught,  different  orders 
tending  to  confusion. 

The  preparatory  training  in  this  can  be  given  in  early 
puppyhood,  it  being  an  adjunct  to  the  natural  method  of 
teaching  retrieving;  still,  there  is  no  special  advantage  in 
teaching  it  so  early.  It  being  made  pleasurable  and  profit- 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  155 

able  to  the  puppy  without  being  fatiguing,  it  is  easily  under- 
stood and  readily  learned.  Punishment  is  inadmissible  and 
unnecessary.  It  is  one  of  the  few  methods  that,  from  its 
simplicity,  has  not  been  susceptible  of  improvement,  the  old 
methods  therefore  holding  good. 

The  lessons  may  be  given  in  any  suitable  place,  in  the 
house,  yard  or  field,  according  as  the  state  of  the  weather 
or  the  inclination  or  convenience  of  the  trainer  dictates. 

The  trainer  provides  himself  with  about  fifteen  or  twenty 
small  pieces  of  meat,  weighing-  each  about  a  half  ounce  or 
ounce.  He  takes  but  one  piece  in  his  hand  at  a  time  while 
giving  the  lesson,  the  rest  being  placed  in  a  position  where  the 
dog  cannot  smell  or  reach  it.  If  all  of  it  is  held  in  the  hand, 
it  will  wholly  engage  his  attention,  thus  impeding  the  lesson. 

If  in  the  fields,  place  a  piece  of  the  meat  on  the  grass, 
permitting  the  dog  to  note  the  proceedings,  since  it  is  desir- 
able that  he  should  know  where  the  first  few  pieces  are  con- 
cealed, so  that  his  interest  will  be  excited.  Lead  him  three 
or  four  steps  away,  then  give  the  order  Find,  releasing  him 
at  the  same  instant,  whereupon  he  will  go  directly  to  the 
meat. 

After  a  few  pieces  have  been  given  in  this  manner,  he 
knows  that,  when  he  hears  the  order,  there  is  something 
desirable  to  search  for.  The  method  is  then  slightly 
changed.  He  is  required  to  find  the  meat  without  any  pre- 
vious knowledge  of  its  whereabouts.  Place  one  hand  over 
his  eyes,  or  throw  out  the  meat  when  he  is  not  looking,  then 
give  the  order,  Find.  If  he  is  backward  in  his  attempts,  or 
gives  up  the  search  quickly,  assume  an  air  of  interest  and 
pretend  to  search  for  it  yourself,  engaging  his  attention  also 
in  it.  By  observation  and  imitation,  he  will  soon  learn  to 
search  keenly  for  it,  particularly  if  the  trainer  takes  the  pre- 
caution to  give  the  lesson  when  the  dog  is  hungry.  With 
an  indolent  dog  it  occasionally  is  beneficial  to  pretend  to 


156  MODERN    TRAINING. 

find  the  meat  yourself  and  withhold  it  from  him,  thus  he 
will  be  stimulated  to  greater  eagerness  to  find  it  himself  at 
the  next  effort.  These  lessons  should  not  be  practiced  too 
long  or  too  frequently;  once  a  day  is  sufficient  for  training 
purposes. 

When  the  dog  comprehends  the  meaning  of  the  order 
and  will  search  for  the  meat  with  more  or  less  diligence,  it 
should  not  be  concealed  on  the  ground  thereafter,  else  he 
will  thereby  certainly  acquire  a  habit  of  putting  his  nose  to 
the  ground  when  searching,  and  if  the  habit  is  confirmed, 
he  may  continue  it  in  actual  field  work.  In  the  fields,  a 
piece  of  meat  can  be  placed  in  the  fork  of  a  bush,  or  other 
object,  low  enough  for  the  dog  to  reach  with  ease.  In  the 
yard,  small  nails  can  be  driven  into  convenient  objects,  as, 
for  instance,  posts,  barrels,  the  corner  of  a  building,  etc.  A 
piece  of  meat  is  placed  on  one  and  he  is  required  to  search 
till  he  finds  it.  The  piece  must  be  changed  from  place  to 
place  with  each  successive  attempt,  else  he  will  remember 
each  place  accurately  and  go  directly  from  one  to  the  other. 
By  practice  he  will  grow  wonderfully  cunning  and  successful 
in  his  search. 

As  he  improves,  he  may  be  taught  to  obey  signals  of  the 
hand,  a  wave  to  the  right  or  left  denoting  that  he  must 
search  accordingly.  Generally,  from  observing  that  it  assists 
him  to  success,  he  quickly  learns  the  meaning  of  the  signal. 
It  is  unwise  to  drag  the  meat  on  the  ground  to  have  him 
trail  it,  and  also  to  conceal  it  so  securely  that  the  dog  will 
have  unnecessary  difficulty  in  finding  it.  If  the  act  closely 
approximates  to  that  required  in  actual  field  work,  it  is 
sufficient. 

When  he  is  diligent  and  obedient,  the  transitionary  stage 
between  working  for  his  own  profit  and  working  for  that  of 
his  master  may  be  commenced,  although  the  dog  must  still 
have  some  incentive;  his  love  of  approbation  should  be 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  157 

cultivated,  and  rewards  given  betimes.  A  glove  may  be 
shown  him;  then  throw  it  behind  some  object  that  will  con- 
ceal it,  a  clump  of  bushes,  rock,  etc.,  preventing  the  dog 
meanwhile  from  seeing  it.  The  order  Find  is  then  given. 
He  may  see  the  glove  but  not  lift  it,  thinking  that  there  is 
some  palatable  morsel  to  find.  Show  him  by  your  actions 
that  the  glove  is  the  object  of  the  search,  order  him  to 
fetch  it,  and  praise  him  when  it  is  retrieved.  By  repeated 
efforts  he  will  soon  learn  to  seek  diligently,  and  retrieve  it 
out  of  a  desire  to  win  applause.  The  lesson  can  be  varied 
at  times,  giving  it  in  one  place,  then  another,  thus  changing 
the  surroundings.  If  he  will  search  diligently,  obediently 
and  intelligently  for  any  object,  that  is  all  that  is  necessary. 
Training  him  to  return  to  a  long  or  short  distance  after  a 
glove,  handkerchief,  pocketbook  or  other  object  is  no  part 
of  field  work.  It  has  been  said  that  such  is  a  useful  accom- 
plishment inasmuch  as  the  shooter  might  lose  his  pocket- 
book,  powder  flask,  or  other  valuable  articles.  The  trouble 
and  skill  required  to  teach  the  act  are  worth  more  than  the- 
average  pocketbook;  and  a  little  precaution,  in  any  event, 
would  obviate  the  need  of  a  retriever  for  such  purposes. 
Training  dogs  to  hunt  for  possible  lost  pocketbooks  is  be- 
coming a  lost  art. 

If  the  dog  in  his  early  training  has  been  judiciously  per- 
mitted to  break  shot  to  retrieve,  he  has  learned  to  mark  the 
fallen  birds  with  more  or  less  accuracy,  and  will  not  there- 
fore need  to  search  for  them.  Care  should  be  taken  to 
cultivate  his  powers  of  observation  in  this  respect,  such 
being  very  important  in  a  good  retriever.  When  the  bird 
falls,  if  the  shooter  notes  that  it  is  winged,  which  he  can  in 
most  instances  do  if  he  is  an  experienced  field  shot,  the  dog 
should  be  sent  for  it  without  delay  to  guard  against  possible 
loss,  or  unnecessary  hard  work  in  searching  for  it.  Many 
birds  are  lost  by  neglecting  this  course.  If  the  dog  has 


158  MODERN    TRAINING. 

been  taught  retrieving  by  force,  he  can  be  trusted  to  retrieve 
wounded  birds  as  well  as  dead  ones;  if  taught  by  the  natural 
method,  the  greatest  care  must  be  observed  during  his 
training,  in  this  respect. 

Occasionally,  the  trainer  teaches  this  order  during  field 
work,  without  giving  any  preliminary  yard  lessons,  but  such 
has  obviously  many  special  disadvantages,  and  is  not  so 
certain  or  uniformly  progressive  as  when  there  is  a  course 
of  proper  preparation.  While  the  expert  trainer  may  ac- 
complish the  necessary  results  without  so  much  formality, 
it  is  unwise  for  the  amateur  to  attempt  any  training  in  such 
manner.  However,  in  yard  training  the  experienced  trainer, 
simply  by  arousing  the  dog's  enthusiasm  and  praising  him, 
can  teach  this  branch  perfectly  without  any  rewards. 


This  order  denotes  that  the  dog  is  to  shorten  his  pace  at 
such  times  as  it  is  necessary  to  do  so,  as  when  searching  for 
a  dead  or  wounded  bird,  or  for  the  scattered  birds  of  a 
bevy. 

Many  dogs  learn  this  without  any  assistance,  if  given  a 
reasonable  time  for  experience.  A  few  from  impatience  or 
stupidity  will  not  work  at  a  slow  gait  unless  forced  to  do 
so.  With  such,  a  long  course  of  training  is  sometimes 
necessary.  When  it  is  desired  that  an  impatient  or  head- 
strong dog  should  go  slowly,  a  checkcord  can  be  put  on 
him,  thus  affording  a  means  of  forcing  him  to  a  slow  gait. 
The  order  Steady  should  be  repeatedly  given  every  time 
that  he  is  checked.  If  he  will  not  work  well  with  a  check- 
cord,  two  pieces  of  wood,  sufficiently  long  to  reach  to  his 
pasterns  from  his  collar,  may  be  tied  one  on  each  side  of 
his  collar.  If  he  attempts  to  go  fast,  they  will  play  so  lively 
on  his  forelegs  that  he  will  be  forced  to  go  slowly.  A  self- 
willed,  obstinate  dog  may  need  a  liberal  application  of  the 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING. 


whip  to  subjugate  him  permanently.  Persistent  and  long 
continued  effort  will  accomplish  the  necessary  obedience  to 
the  order  in  all  cases,  and  its  importance  is  such  that  it 
should  not  be  neglected. 


l6o  MODERN    TRAINING. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

PREPARATORY    FIELD  TRAINING. 

The  first  informal  field  work  of  a  puppy  may  be  given 
when  he  is  sufficiently  developed,  mentally  and  physically, 
to  have  unlimited  curiosity,  and  strength  enough  to  run 
without  excessive  labor  and  fatigue,  which  is  generally  at 
about  the  age  of  eight  months  and  upward;  at  least,  it  is 
not  specially  advantageous  to  attempt  any  training  at  an 
earlier  age. 

Contrary  to  the  common  practice  and  the  teachings  of 
many  writers,  no  training,  in  the  sense  in  which  it  is  com- 
monly understood,  /.  e.,  to  the  gun,  should  be  attempted  in 
the  preparatory  training.  This  training,  given  during  a 
longer  or  shorter  period,  according  to  the  requirements  of 
the  dog,  is  simply  an  opportunity  to  learn  to  use  his  hunt- 
ing functions,  and  is  very  important,  it  being  the  foundation 
on  which  the  training  to  the  gun  rests,  as  is  specially  de- 
scribed under  the  several  heads  of  Pointing,  Reading,  and 
Ranging. 

It  will  be  assumed  that  the  training  is  to  be  conducted 
on  quails,  they  being  the  birds  which  are  most  commonly 
sought  for  the  purpose,  as  they  are  the  best,  most  numer- 
ous, and  widely  distributed.  However,  if  the  dog  is  to  be 
trained  on  other  kinds'  of  game,  the  course  to  pursue  would 
be  the  same  in  manner,  but  with  ruffed  grouse  or  woodcock 
more  restraint  would  be  necessary  in  training  at  all  stages. 

Before  methods  can  be  applied  in  regular  training,  the  dogs 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  l6l 

must  have  some  knowledge  of  field  work;  indeed,  skillful 
methods  assume  such  pre-existing  knowledge  when  applied, 
the  true  system  being  merely  to  train  the  dog's  natural  ef- 
forts to  the  use  of  the  gun.  There  are  ever  varying  com- 
plexities in  field  work,  which  cannot  be  reduced  to  any 
rules,  and  which  must  be  left  to  the  intelligence  of  the  dog. 
The  amateur  who-will  recognize  these  elementary  principles 
has  made  a  great  advance  toward  success.  It  is  incom- 
parably better  to  permit  the  dog  to  exercise  his  intelligence 
at  first,  after  which  train  him  to  observe  formal  methods 
which  subserve  the  purposes  of  the  gun,  than  to  attempt, 
from  the  beginning,  to  reduce  every  detail  and  act  to  arti- 
ficial rules.  As  between  the  dog  which  is  forced  to  observe 
formal  methods,  from  the  beginning,  because  they  are  meth- 
ods, and  the  dog  which  works  intelligently  and  only  has 
methods  as  they  relate  to  the  purposes  of  the  gun,  there  is. 
no  comparison.  While  a  dog  cannot  possibly  be  developed 
to  a  greater  degree  than  the  limit  of  his  native  capabilities, 
it  is  equally  true  that  his  capabilities  may  be  injured  or  kept 
dormant  by  unskillful  training. 

If  the  puppy,  at  the  start,  flushes,  chases,  runs  riot  and 
is  wholly  without  system,  do  not  imagine  for  a  moment  that 
such  will  be  his  manner  perpetually,  even  if  his  handler 
should  refrain  from  interfering.  The  dog  learns  and  im- 
proves from  his  own  experience,  and  after  awhile  settles 
down  into  uniform  regularity  in  his  work,  although  at  this 
period  his  efforts  are  all  wholly  in  his  own  interest.  No 
concern  need  be  felt  as  to  training  him  to  steadiness.  Re- 
member that  the  dog  does  not  live  that  cannot  be  worked 
to  a  standstill.  The  time  required  to  gain  the  preliminary 
experience  varies  greatly  with  different  dogs.  Some  require 
a  few  days,  others  as  many  weeks,  while  timid,  cranky,  or 
indolent  dogs  may  require  months.  The  preparatory  fitness 
of  the  puppy  can  be  determined  by  observing  whether  he 


162  MODERN    TRAINING. 

is  hunting  for  game  or  merely  running  about  from  excess 
of  spirits  or  vitality.  When  he  ranges  and  hunts  resolutely, 
reading  his  birds  quickly,  pointing,  flushing  and  chasing 
with  determination,  he  is  in  very  good  trim  to  begin  his 
training. 

It  is  worthy  of  special  note  that  the  manner  of  beginning 
the  experience  with  the  gun  often  determines  whether  the 
dog  will  or  will  not  be  gunshy."  Gunshyness  is  frequently 
the  fault  of  the  trainer,  although  amateurs  are  prone  to  con- 
sider it  a  fault  of  the  dog.  Any  dog,  however  courageous, 
can  be  made  gunshy.  There  is  no  greater  mistake  possible 
than  to  assume  that  a  dog  has  an  inherent  knowledge  of  the 
gun  and  its  uses,  or  a  hereditary  love  or  fear  of  it;  a  knowl- 
edge from  inheritance  which  the  handler  himself  reaches  by 
education,  for  man  has  no  intuition  of  the  gun  and  its  uses, 
and  frequently  the  report  of  a  gun  is  very  startling  in  its  ef- 
fects to  himself,  hence  he  should  be  more  considerate  to- 
ward the  dog.  By  observing  the  disposition  of  the  dog, 
whether  timid,  cowardly,  distrustful  or  courageous,  and 
whether  he  is  intelligent  or  of  weak  mind,  the'training  may 
be  conducted  in  a  manner  which  will  not  run  counter  to  his 
peculiarities,  thus  much  loss  of  time  and  the  occasions  for 
trouble  will  be  avoided. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance,  in  all  branches  of  train- 
ing, but  rigidly  so  in  this  instance,  that  the  trainer  has  the 
dog's  confidence  and  affection  before  he  attempts  any  train- 
ing that  may  alarm  him,  such  as  firing  the  gun,  etc.  If  the 
dog  is  shy  from  whippings  or  premature  attempts  to  restrain 
him,  all  efforts  to  accustom  him  to  the  gun  or  to  train  him 
must  be  held  in  abeyance  until  such  time  as  his  confidence 
is  restored.  This  can  be  accomplished  by  giving  him  his 
head  and  treating  him  with  uniform  kindness. 

The  best  juncture  at  which  to  give  the  puppy  his  first  ex- 
perience with  the  report  of  fire-arms  is  when  he  is  ranging 


BREAKING    AND     HANDLING.  163 

in  the  fields  a  hundred  yards  or  more  away,  and  is  in  good 
spirits,  is  not  afraid  of  his  handler,  and  is  interested  in 
hunting. 

A  small  pistol,  for  special  reasons,  is  the  best  for  the  pur- 
pose. A  percussion  cap  or  .22  caliber  cartridge  should  be 
snapped  at  first.  If  the  puppy  is  at  all  startled  at  the 
report,  the  handler  should  continue  to  walk  deliberately  in 
his  course,  affecting  the  greatest  unconcern,  and  taking  no 
notice  whatever  of  him.  Usually  the  puppy,  when  he  per- 
ceives that  there  is  nothing  to  excite  his  fears,  resumes  his 
hunting.  However,  if  he  shows  a  suspicion  of  something 
wrong  or  an  apprehension  of  danger,  as  he  may  do  for  sev- 
eral moments,  refrain  from  shooting  until  he  is  again  thor- 
oughly interested  in  hunting  and  unobservant  of  the  hand- 
ler. If  he  is  a  dog  of  a  nervous  or  timid  temperament,  an 
old  steady  dog  may  be  taken  to  accompany  him,  and  the 
calm  exterior  of  the  latter  will  do  much  to  reassure  the 
puppy.  Under  no  circumstances  should  two  or  more  green 
puppies  be  experimented  with  at  once;  if  one  runs,  all  will 
be  apt  to  run,  and  mischief  will  be  done  in  quantities. 

The  greatest  care  should  be  taken  to  avoid  haste  in  shoot- 
ing or  in  shooting  at  inopportune  junctures.  At  any  time  that 
the  puppy  is  expecting  the  report,  which  can  readily  be  per- 
ceived by  his  expectant  look  and  distrustful  actions,  the  hand- 
ler should  not  shoot  or  show  other  than  the  most  placid 
demeanor.  Gradually,  the  puppy,  from  observing  that  the 
reports  are  not  injurious  or  related  to  himself  and  excite  no 
apprehension  in  those  about  him,  becomes  indifferent  to  them. 
Then  they  may  be  judiciously  increased  in  volume  and  fre- 
quency, from  the  lighter  powder  charges  first  used  to  heavier 
and  heavier  ones  by  easier  gradations,  always,  however, 
noting  the  effects  on  the  fears  of  the  dog,  if  any,  and  re- 
tarding the  efforts  accordingly.  When  the  dog  exhibits  no 
alarm  at  the  report  of  the  pistol,  a  gun  may  be  introduced. 


164  MODERN    TRAINING. 

A  bird  or  two  should  be  shot  under  favorable  conditions  for 
him  to  see  them,  so  that  he  may  learn  the  purpose  of  the 
gun,  which  if  he  has  no  fears,  will  be  done  readily  in  one  or 
two  lessons,  and  thereafter  he  will  always  be  keenly  inter- 
ested in  its  use.  A  pistol  is  better  to  begin  with  for  many 
reasons;  it  is  easier  to  carry;  it  can  be  concealed  from  the 
dog;  the  reports  are  light;  and  if  the  dog  sees  the  pistol 
and  becomes  afraid  of  it  by  perceiving  that  it  is  instrumental 
in  the  frightful  noises,  there  are  not  then  the  same  objec- 
tionable results  as  when  the  gun  is  used,  namely,  he  learns 
very  quickly  that  bringing  the  gun  to  the  shoulder  is  an  act 
which  precedes  the  discharge,  and  naturally,  from  the  an- 
ticipation of  the  report,  he  flinches  from  this  mere  motion 
as  much  as  from  the  report  itself;  in  fact,  this  act  may  cause 
him  to  bolt.  It  has  the  further  disadvantage  that  after  he 
has  outgrown  his  fears  of  the  report,  the  act  of  raising 
the  gun  to  the  shoulder,  being  associated  with  past  fears 
may  excite  his  fears  for  weeks;  thus  the  preparations  to  fire 
the  gun  may  cause  more  lasting  fears  than  the  report  itself. 
In  the  beginning  of  field  work,  the  trainer  can  be  of  no 
assistance  in  training  the  puppy  aside  from  taking  him  to 
such  favorable  places  as  afford  opportunities  to  exercise  his 
hunting  instincts.  All  the  awkwardness  and  ignorance  he  dis- 
plays, qualities  always  displayed  by  an  inexperienced  puppy, 
are  gradually  overcome  by  experience.  It  is  impossible  for 
the  puppy  to  understand  the  application  of  methods  before 
he  has  had  sufficient  experience  in  working  on  birds;  prior 
to  this,  methods  are  simply  so  many  incomprehensible  ob- 
structions. In  the  greater  number  of  instances  the  amateur 
conducts  his  training  on  the  theory  and  practice  that  the 
puppy  must  be  controlled  and  taught  even  from  a  very  ten- 
der age,  such  being,  in  times  gone  by,  the  approved  method; 
as  a  consequence,  the  puppy  is  whipped,  balked  and  perpet- 
ually restrained,  the  things  he  must  not  do,  but  wishes  to 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  165 

do,  ever  recurring.  It  is  not  strange  that  this  course  pur- 
sued assiduously  spoils  the  dog  by  unconsciously  teaching 
him  that  he  is  not  to  hunt  at  all,  instead  of  hunting  in  a 
formal  manner  as  the  trainer  desired. 

The  puppy,  which  is  naturally  so  subdued  in  manner  that 
he  is  capable  of  hunting  steadily  to  the  gun  at  a  very  early 
age,  has  done  nothing  to  excite  hopes  of  superiority  in  his 
future  performances.  The  precocity  of  youth  rarely  fore- 
shadows pre-eminence  at  maturity,  the  period  when  the  real 
struggle  occurs. 

The  most  skilled  and  intelligent  workers  are  those  which 
are  strictly  self-educated  so  far  as  finding  birds  is  concerned, 
this  superiority  being  the  result  of  self-hunting,  either  alone 
or  with  other  dogs;  in  fact,  many  expert  trainers  give  their 
puppies  full  freedom  to  hunt,  particularly  if  they  are  at  all 
backward  from  timidity,  slow  development  of  hunting  in- 
stincts, gunshyness,  etc.,  with  the  most  beneficial  results.  It 
is  the  only  way  in  which  a  puppy  can  be  developed  to  the 
highest  degree  of  his  working  capabilities;  and  it  accords 
with  his  natural  instincts,  and  is  quicker  and  more  thorough; 
it  is  the  best.  When  permitted  to  go  with  another  dog,  he 
is  not  hampered  by  any  feelings  of  constraint  which  he  feels 
in  the  presence  of  his  trainer.  He  learns  to  comprehend 
the  actions  of  his  companion,  learns  the  meaning  of  a  point 
and  back,  learns  how  to  road  quickly  and  accurately,  and 
how  to  mark  the  flight  of  birds  and  follow  them;  in  short, 
he  devotes  his  whole  undivided  energies  to  his  work.  To 
the  novice,  the  wild  pursuit  appears  ruinous,  is  against  cher- 
ished traditions,  and  he  cannot  refrain  from  interfering  with 
more  or  less  turbulence  and  violence;  yet,  to  develop  a  field 
dog,  this  experience  is  what  he  must  have  whether  he  ac- 
quires it  quickly  by  freedom,  or  slowly  and  imperfectly 
under  the  continual  balking  and  meddling  of  his  handler. 
Many  dogs  are  ruined  for  want  of  opportunity  to  develop. 


X66  MODERN    TRAINING. 

The  dog  can  be  broken  from  hunting,  either  wholly  or  par- 
tially, quite  as  well  as  from  any  other  act,  and  he  very  nat- 
urally  interprets  constant  restraint  and  frequenfpunishment 
as  being  inflicted  for  the  act  of  hunting,  and  not  for  the 
manner  of  it.  When  permitted  to  self-hunt,  the  progress  is 
not  obstructed  by  arbitrary  rules. 

The  amateur  is  disposed  to  think  that  if  the  puppy  points, 
the  greatest  difficulty  has  been  overcome,  and  the  main  part 
of  the  training  completed.  The  act  of  pointing,  while  in- 
dispensable, is  but  one  of  several  equally  important.  Dash 
and  range,  being  essential,  should  be  cultivated  from  the 
first,  which  cannot  be  done  if  the  dog  is  not  given  his  head. 
Pointing  will  be  established  in  due  time  almost  to  a  cer- 
tainty; however,  without  the  ability  to  range  and  find  birds, 
the  mere  ability  to  point  well  is  of  little  value. 

In  giving  the  preparatory  work,  the  puppy  should  be 
taken  afield  in  the  morning  hours  when  the  birds  are  out  in 
search  of  food,  when  the  scent  is  good,  the  temperature 
cool,  and  therefore  when  the  conditions  are  most  favorable, 
if  the  training  is  in  fall  or  early  spring.  Rarely  is  it  advis- 
able to  run  two  puppies  together,  their  mutual  jealousy 
prompting  them  to  repeated  errors,  or  the  mutual  confidence 
inspired,  prompting  them  to  willful  disobedience. 

When  the  dog's  field  work  is  begun,  the  trainer  should 
note  the  condition  of  the  dog's  health.  If  he  is  not  in  good 
health  and  physical  condition,  he  is  wholly  unfit  for  work. 
Dogs  which  have  been  in  close  confinement  should  be  started 
to  work  very  gradually.  Also  the  greatest  care  should  be 
taken  to  avoid  overwork.  When  the  puppy  has  had 
enough,  let  him  rest  well  or  quit  for  the  time  being. 

Thrashing  a  dog  at  this  stage,  for  mistakes,  conveys  no 
profitable  educational  experience;  he  derives  no  knowledge 
therefrom  which  will  enable  him  to  perform  better  at  the 
next  opportunity.  No  expectations  need  be  entertained 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  167 

with  respect  to  good  work  if  the  dog  is  not  afforded  ample 
experience. 

For  training  purposes,  grounds  should  be  selected  which 
are  at  least  fairly  well  supplied  with  birds.  If  a  puppy  is 
worked  day  after  day  with  only  a  find  now  and  then,  he 
ceases  to  hunt,  or  runs  about  carelessly  as  he  would  in  a 
highway;  indeed,  an  aged,  experienced  dog  will  become 
careless  and  indifferent  under  similar  circumstances;  and  a 
hunter  takes  but  little  interest. 

If  the  puppy  is  soft  in  flesh  and  thick  in  wind,  it  is  very 
unwise  to  work  him  in  a  hot  sun.  If  he  is  of  a  nervous, 
excitable  disposition,  he  may  become  excessively  overheated 
which  may  induce  distressing  fits,  or  in  fact,  he  may  die. 
The  trainer  should  shape  his  route  so  that  there  will  be  op- 
portunities to  give  his  dogs  water.  In  many  sections  of  the 
West  and  the  South,  the  streams  dry  up  in  the  summer  and 
fall,  and  the  scarcity  of  water  then  becomes  a  great  in- 
convenience. At  such  times  it  is  well  to  carry  a  quart  flask 
of  water  along,  which  will  afford  two  small  drinks  for  two 
dogs;  and  it  can  be  re-filled  at  some  point  on  the  route.  If 
hunting  from  horseback,  it  is  then  an  easy  matter  to  carry 
a  sufficient  quantity.  If  the  trainer  has  not  a  drinking  vessel 
along,  the  crown  of  the  hat,  if  of  felt,  canvas,  or  corduroy, 
pressed  down,  will  hold  water  sufficiently  long  for  the  dogs 
tO' drink  it. 

While  all  dogs  have  an  affection  for  their  master,  work- 
ing, when  properly  trained,  to  suit  his  pleasure,  they  vary 
greatly  in  their  mental  and  physical  powers,  and  therefore 
in  their  capability  and  usefulness.  Occasionally  one  will 
be  met  with  which  can  hunt  well  for  his  own  interest,  but 
cannot  readily  be  taught  to  work  to  the  gun;  however,  in 
hunting  for  birds,  the  dog  is  merely  seeking  his  natural 
food  supply,  and  until  he  has  had  the  necessary  experience 
to  learn  to  work  conjointly  with  his  handler's  efforts,  he  can- 


168  MODERN    TRAINING. 

not  reasonably  be  expected  to  abandon  his  natural  methods; 
nor  should  more  be  expected  of  a  dog  than  he  is  naturally 
capable  of  performing.  It  is  also  worthy  of  note  that  all 
dogs,  good  or  bad,  have  off  days.  When  not  working  up 
to  their  usual  form,  they  are  frequently  treated  inconsider- 
ately, errors  of  work  being  ascribed  to  sulkiness,  careless- 
ness, or  indolence,  whereas  the  dog  may  be  unwell,  his 
powers  of  scent  impaired  for  the  time  being.  When  a  dog 
is  known  to  be  an  honest,  reliable  worker  on  most  occasions, 
any  temporary  incapacity  should  be  treated  with  indulgence. 
This  inexplicable  irregularity  will  be  exhibited  more  or  less 
by  all  dogs.  The  dog  is  highly  nervous  in  his  organization, 
therefore  liable  to  irregularities  in  his  special  performances 
quite  as  much  as  his  master  who  breaks  down,  at  times,  in 
his  shooting,  without  any  appreciable  cause,  and  no  effort 
for  the  time  being  can  overcome  it. 

It  is  well  for  the  amateur  to  know  that  deafness  and  the 
consequent  inability  of  the  dog  to  obey  commands  may  be 
mistaken  for  obstinacy,  which  it  very  closely  resembles  in 
effect;  indeed,  many  experienced  sportsmen  have  been  de- 
ceived in  their  judgment  respecting  it.  If  the  deafness  is 
only  partial  in  each  ear,  or  in  only  one  ear,  it  is  very  diffi- 
cult to  detect.  When  the  wind  is  favorable  for  the  dog  to 
hear  commands,  or  when  the  sound  ear  is  toward  the  hand- 
ler, he  may  hear  well  and  be  promptly  obedient;  at  other  times 
he  may  apparently  be  willfully  disobedient.  By  noting 
such  actions  and  his  actions  about  the  yard,  the  owner  will 
be  able  to  determine  whether  his  dog  is  deaf  or  not.  When 
lying  down  or  standing  about,  he  may  apparently  ignore  his 
name  when  called,  till  it  is  repeated  in  a  louder  and  louder 
tone,  when  he  suddenly  starts,  looks  about  with  a  surprised 
air,  sees  that  his  master  requires  something  and  hastens  to 
obey  cheerfully,  thus  showing  a  functional  imperfection  in 
hearing.  This  infirmity  is  much  more  common  than  is  gener- 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  169 

ally  supposed,  and  may  be  induced  by  excessive  exposure 
to  wet  and  cold.  It  is  frequently  caused  by  the  promis- 
cuous shooting  of  too  many  guns  over  one  dog  without  any 
regard  to  his  proximity.  Two  or  three  men  about  a  point- 
ing dog,  one  standing  six  or  eight  feet  behind  him,  and 
shooting  over  his  back,  and  one  or  two  on  one  side  or  on 
each  side,  can  do  the  mischief  thoroughly.  For  the  benefit 
of  those  who  have  not  experienced  the  sensation,  it  may  be 
explained  that  a  gun  fired  from  a  position  eight  or  ten  feet 
from  the  rear,  and  the  line  of  fire  from  three  to  six  feet 
from  the  ear,  has  about  the  same  sensation  that  a  blow  in 
the  ear  would  have  if  delivered  with  a  sand  bag.  The  con- 
cussion may  impair  the  hearing  or  completely  destroy  it. 
Many  sportsmen  have  had  their  hearing  impaired  tempo- 
rarily or  permanently  from  this  cause.  Hence  it  can  readily 
be  imagined  what  effect  two  double  guns  fired  behind  and 
above  a  dog  would  have  on  his  hearing,  his  head  being  near 
the  ground.  When  all  the  crude  methods  of  education  and 
all  the  unknown  pains  the  dog  suffers  from  mismanagement 
are  considered,  the  wonder  is  not  that  there  are  occasional 
gunshy  puppies,  but  that  both  young  and  old  dogs  do  not 
become  so  oftener.  The  amateur's  theory  of  gunshyness 
generally  places  the  dog  in  fault  beyond  question,  but  if  the 
dog  could  tell  the  real  cause,  it  would  appear  very  simple 
and  rational  in  most  cases. 

As  mentioned  in  another  part  of  this  work,  the  dog  is 
extremely  jealous,  and  this  trait  can  be  taken  advantage  of 
to  accomplish  certain  objects,  but  it  has  annoying  disadvan- 
tages in  field  work.  The  dog  cannot  endure  any  rivalry 
from  strange  dogs  without  attempting  to  defeat  them.  The 
jealous  dog  prefers  flushing  to  permitting  a  rival  to  get  the 
point,  and  may  break  shot  to  prevent  his  retrieving.  Also, 
this  trait  may  be  exercised  against  his  handler,  for  from  fear 
that  his  handler  may  get  the  birds  from  him,  he  will  break 


170  MODERN    TRAINING. 

his  point  and  flush  as  he  hears  him  walk  up.  This  trait 
should  not  be  aggravated,  or  cultivated,  by  working  the 
dog  possessing  it,  with  a  dog  which  is  also  excessively  jeal- 
ous, or  has  irritating  faults,  such  as  failure  to  back,  stealing 
points,  breaking  shot,  etc. 

The  dog  should  be  so  treated  that  when  his  handler  is 
ready  to  go  afield,  he  shows  unlimited  delight  and  eagerness 
to  join.  If  he  shows  fear,  there  is  something  decidedly 
wrong  in  the  training. 

The  sportsman  who  can  spare  but  two  or  three  days,  or 
weeks,  each  year  for  shooting,  makes  a  serious  mistake  if  he 
takes  a  green  dog  along  with  the  expectation  of  doing  some 
training  and  shooting,  although  the  mistake  is  not  infrequent. 
In  the  greater  number  of  instances  the  trip  is  a  disappoint- 
ment so  far  as  shooting  is  concerned,  and  from  attempting 
to  make  a  puppy  do  in  one  day  what  he  required  a  month 
to  learn,  the  training  is  almost  uniformly  a  failure.  Shoot- 
jng  and  training  cannot  be  done  at  the  same  time  consist- 
ently with  the  pleasure  of  the  shooter  and  the  development 
of  the  puppy;  much  more  is  it  impossible  when  the  shooter 
may  not  know  even  the  elementary  principles  of  training. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING. 


CHAPTER  X. 

POINTING. 

Some  of  the  commonest  powers  of  organic  beings  are  the 
most  wonderful  in  nature,  yet  their  commonness  and  the 
resulting  familiarity  reduce  them  to  the  level  of  the  mat- 
ter-of-course. Of  these,  none  are  more  marvelous  than  the 
faculty  which  the  pointer  or  setter  exhibits  in  pursuing  his 
prey  by  the  delicacy  of  his  scenting  powers.  The  pres- 
sure of  tiny  feet  for  the  briefest  instant  leaves  an  impalpable 
roadway  which  the  dog  follows  with  ease.  So  exquisitely 
keen  is  this  function  of  smell  that  he  readily  discriminates 
between  the  direction  taken  by  the  birds  and  the  back  track, 
and  between  the  body  scent  and  foot  scent.  Also,  by  some 
difference  in  the  intensity  or  quality  of  the  scent,  he  can 
accurately  determine  his  distance  from  the  birds  when  he 
is  on  a  hot  foot  scent  or  body  scent,  and  can  distinguish  that 
of  a  dead  or  live  bird. 

Pointing,  standing  and  setting  are  terms  used  synony- 
mously to  denote  the  peculiar,  rigid  attitude  of  pointers  and 
setters  when  in  the  act  of  standing  near  birds  of  which  they 
have  the  scent,  although  the  act  may  be  imperfect  at  times 
from  pointing  falsely,  or  on  the  foot  scent.  The  style  and 
intensity  of  the  act  varies  greatly  in  different  individuals; 
some  are  rigid  and  statuesque,  others  are  slouchy  or  indiffer- 
ent; and  there  are  all  kinds  and  degrees  of  variations  be- 
tween the  best  and  poorest  acts. 

The  two  breeds,  pointers  and  setters,  do  not  materially 


172  MODERN    TRAINING. 

differ  in  their  attitudes  on  point  in  any  respect.  The  gen- 
eral characteristics  of  the  act  are  precisely  the  same  in  both, 
the  only  difference  being  in  the  peculiarities  of  individuals, 
no  two  assuming  precisely  the  same  attitude,  in  the  same 
sense  that  no  two  run  or  walk  precisely  alike. 

As  the  exercise  of  the  instinct  is  dependent,  in  a  great 
measure,  on  the  powers  of  smell,  it  is  not  strange  that  cer- 
tain external  appearances  of  the  nose  have  come  to  be 
considered  an  indication  of  the  degree  of  those  powers. 
Many  sportsmen  and  authors  attach  undue  importance  to 
wide,  expansive  nostrils,  inferring  very  plausibly  that  such 
must  give  a  corresponding  increase  in  the  scenting  powers. 
This  assumption  is  not  founded  on  any  tangible  physio- 
logical data.  With  respect  to  the  functional  powers  of  the 
nose,  a  wide  or  close  nostril  is  not  of  the  slightest  impor- 
tance. In  practice,  no  difference  which  could  be  ascribed 
to  its  external  form  is  observable  in  the  average  scenting 
powers  of  large  numbers  of  individuals.  Every  experienced 
sportsman  has  seen  dogs  having  light,  snipy,  contracted 
noses,  yet  possessing  exquisite  delicacy  of  scent,  and  dogs 
having  expansive  nostrils  which  had  dull  scenting  powers. 
The  dogs  which  have  the  imaginary  broad,  expansive  nos- 
trils are  rare  indeed.  The  anatomical  structure  of  the  nose 
indicates  that  the  exterior  form  is  of  no  functional  impor- 
tance. The  inner  recesses  have  a  very  extensive,  irregular 
surface  of  mucous  membrane,  which  much  increases  its 
capacity  of  sensation.  The  olfactory  nerves  are  therein 
widely  and  intricately  distributed,  yet  comparatively  few  of 
them  reach  to  the  end  of  the  nostril,  although  it  has  keen 
tactile  sensibility.  Undoubtedly  the  functional  powers  of 
the  nose  depend  on  the  abundance  and  delicacy  of  the 
olfactory  nerve  plexus,  therefore  not  on  the  size  of  the  ends 
of  the  nostrils.  It  would  be  quite  as  reasonable  to  assume 
that  the  senses  of  taste,  hearing  and  seeing  are  dependent 
on  the  external  size  of  the  mouth,  ears  or  eyes. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  173 

The  common  explanation  of  the  origin  of  the  pointing 
instinct  is,  that  when  the  setter  was  a  spaniel  or  an  improved 
spaniel,  which  is  simply  a  conjecture,  he  was  hunted  on 
partridges  and  forced  to  lie  close  to  the  ground  when  he 
recognized  the  scent  of  them,  whereupon  a  net  was  drawn 
or  thrown  over  both  the  dog  and  the  covey,  which  latter 
was  patiently  submissive  and  conveniently  near  to  the  dog 
in  a  favorable  place  for  the  net  to  cover  both,  and  thus  the 
birds  were  captured.  No  attempt  is  made  to  explain  why 
the  dog  hunted  the  partridges  instinctively,  that  part  being 
a  matter  of  course.  As  arms  improved  and  greater  skill  was 
coincidentally  developed  in  their  use,  sportsmen  becoming 
expert  wing  shots,  there  was  no  occasion  for  the  setter  to  lie 
down  when  he  scented  the  birds,  hence  he  stood  up  to  his 
points,  whereupon  pointing,  which  previously  was  a  matter 
of  education,  spontaneously  became  an  instinct — at  least, 
so  say  the  historians. 

Instincts  are  invariably  for  the  benefit  of  the  individual 
himself,  or  the  perpetuation  of  the  species,  they  being  sub- 
servient to  self-preservation.  That,  therefore,  a  dog  should 
point  a  bird  instinctively  for  a  man  to  shoot  at,  is  one  of  the 
many  beliefs  that  exist  and  are  perpetuated  on  the  flimsiest 
of  assumptions. 

The  pointing  instinct  is  known  to  have  existed  in  the 
pointer  so  far  in  the  past  as  there  is  any  history  or  tradition 
of  the  breed.  It  was  particularly  strong  in  the  old  Spanish 
pointer,  yet  no  theory  is  advanced  in  respect  to  its  origin 
in  him. 

It  is  more  reasonable  to  suppose,  and  the  supposition  is 
supported  by  analogous  characteristics  in  other  animals,  that 
pointers  and  setters  had  the  hunting  and  pointing  instincts 
implanted  in  them  by  nature  as  a  means  to  secure  a  food 
supply  than  that  they  became  permanently  fixed  by  an  im- 
perfect education  conducted  by  a  few  skillful  trainers  and  a 

12 


!74  MODERN    TRAINING. 

multitude  of  unskillful  ones,  through  a  comparatively  brief 
period  of  time.  Pointing  is  merely  supplementary  to  the 
hunting  instinct;  merely  a  detail  of  it.  Any  explanation  of 
the  origin  of  the  instinct  other  than  that  it  is  natural  is 
rendered  still  more  trifling  when  it  is  considered  that  the 
dog's  teeth,  digestive  organs  and  instincts  denote  that  he  is 
a  carnivorous  animal,  therefore  a  hunter;  hence  hunting  his 
natural  prey  in  his  natural  manner  cannot  be  the  result  of 
education.  This  view,  as  aforementioned,  is  confirmed  by 
analogous  natural  methods  of  hunting  prey  pursued  by 
other  animals.  The  fox  roads,  makes  his  casts  to  and  fro, 
stops  to  locate  the  birds  and  makes  his  spring  in  a  manner 
very  similar  to  that  of  the  pointer  and  setter,  and  all  this 
without  having  had  his  ancestors  taught  to  drop  to  command 
and  have  a  net  thrown  over  them  while  on  birds.  The 
same  characteristics  are  observable,  although  in  a  lesser  de- 
gree, in  the  manner  in  which  a  common  house  cat  will  steal 
toward  its  prey  and,  when  at  a  proper  distance,  crouch  and 
spring  to  capture  and  kill.  Cur  dogs  will  draw  stealthily, 
by  sight,  to  a  rabbit,  woodchuck  or  other  quarry,  and  spring 
on  it  if  they  can  approach  without  alarming  it.  But  the 
most  convincing  property  is  that  the  dog  exercises  the 
pointing  instinct  for  his  own  benefit  when  left  to  his  will. 
Only  by  persistent  training  are  his  instincts  made  subordi- 
nate to  the  purposes  of  the  hunter.  As  to  the  origin  of 
pointing,  it  may  be  said,  briefly,  that  it  is  unknown,  and  the 
cherished  conjectures  respecting  it  are  poor  ones,  even  for 
conjectures;  moreover,  it  is  as  idle  to  advance  any  theory 
regarding  its  origin  as  it  would  be  to  attempt  to  explain  all 
the  instincts  peculiar  to  the  human  race  or  lower  animals. 
Its  presence  in  an  abnormal  degree  or  its  entire  absence  is 
not  necessarily  any  evidence  of  impure  breeding.  Instincts 
frequently  vary  in  intensity  in  different  individuals.  Even 
the  strongest  of  all  instincts,  the  maternal  instinct,  which  is 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  175 

most  uniformly  present,  is  nevertheless  entirely  absent  in 
some  individuals,  and  present  to  an  abnormal  degree  in 
others. 

The  point  is  simply  a  preliminary  pause  during  which 
every  faculty  of  the  dog  is  keenly  intent  on  accurately 
locating  the  game  preparatory  to  springing  on  it.  There  is 
nothing  cataleptic  in  the  act,  contrary  to  the  often  repeated 
assertions  that  it  is  so.  Neither  the  senses  nor  volition  are 
suspended,  as  can  readily  be  perceived  when  an  untrained  dog 
is  pointing,  or  when  the  birds  run  from  the  point  of  a  trained 
dog;  in  either  instance,  every  motion  is  indicative  of  con- 
sciousnesss  and  an  intelligent  intent  to  capture.  Every 
sense  is  alert,  and  every  muscle  at  its  highest  tension  ready 
for  the  spring.  Nearly  all  experienced  sportsmen  have 
seen  a  dog  bound  from  his  point  with  wonderful  rapidity 
and  capture  quails,  or  prairie  chickens,  or  ruffed  grouse, 
such  being  his  natural  manner  of  obtaining  a  food  sup- 
ply. By  duly  repressing  this  natural  inclination  to  spring, 
and  preserving  the  steadiness  of  the  point,  man  subjects  the 
instinct  in  a  useful  manner  to  his  own  purposes;  thus,  while 
primarily  the  instinct  is  hereditary  and  for  the  dog's  special 
benefit  in  gaining  a  food  supply,  it  does  not  become  a  me- 
chanical act  when  exercised  for  the  benefiit  of  man. 
However,  there  is  a  transitionary  stage  during  training, 
when  the  dog  is  insufficiently  experienced  in  the  purposes 
of  the  gun,  wherein  he  may  prolong  his  point  merely  as  a 
matter  of  compulsion;  yet  the  dog's  perceptive  and  reflective 
faculties  are  such  that  when  his  judgment  and  experience 
are  mature  he  intelligently  and  zealously  applies  his  hunting 
powers  to  assist  the  gun.  Many  intelligent  acts  on  the  part 
of  the  dog,  acts  which  have  been  observed  by  all  sportsmen 
of  extensive  experience,  prove  this  beyond  question.  For 
the  information  of  those  who  may  not  have  had  an  extensive 
experience,  a  few  of  the  acts  which  are  commonly  known 


176  MODERN    TRAINING. 

will  be  adduced  in  support  of  the  dog's  intelligent  applica- 
tion of  his  efforts  conjointly  with  the  efforts  of  the  hunter. 
When  a  dog,  in  reading  an  old  cock  prairie  chicken,  a  bird 
which  is  a  fast  and  cunning  runner,  suddenly  abandons  the 
trail,  and  taking  a  circular  course  whips  in  ahead  of  it  to 
stop  its  running,  then  holds  and  points  it  until  the  shooter 
flushes  it,  such  act  is  palpably  applied  to  assist  the  gun. 
An  act  of  a  similar  nature  is  when  a  dog,  roading  a  running 
bevy  down  wind,  perceives  that  he  cannot  pursue  with  any 
certainty  of  securing  a  point,  backs  out  a  safe  distance  on 
the  back  trail,  takes  a  circular  cast  and  comes  up  wind  on 
the  birds,  thus  stopping  their  running  and  pointing  safely. 
An  act  of  still  greater  intelligence  is  when  the  dog  points 
birds  at  a  distance  from  his  handler,  and,  being  concealed 
from  him,  abandons  his  point,  returns  to  his  handler  and  by 
every  sign  which  he  is  capable  of  making,  conveys  the  in- 
•  formation  that  he  has  found  birds.  If  the  handler  under- 
stands his  dog,  the  latter  leads  him  directly  to  them.  This 
accomplishment  is  not  generally  observed,  first  because 
very  few  dogs  are  permitted  to  exercise  their  best  intelli- 
gence; second,  because  very  few  sportsmen  would  compre- 
hend the  dog's  actions  if  he  did  attempt  it;  and  lastly,  only 
dogs  of  great  experience  and  intelligence  acquire  such  a 
finished  comprehension  of  details. 

A  common  act,  which  shows  reference  to  the  gun,  is 
when  pointing  running  birds,  a  dog  will  turn  his  head 
slightly  to  see  if  his  handler  is  approaching,  and  he  so 
directs  his  acts  with  consummate  skill  that  they  are  wholly  in 
the  interest  of  the  gun.  Many  other  acts  could  be  enumer- 
ated showing  that  the  dog  applies  his  hunting  instincts  to 
the  service  of  his  master  in  a  higher  degree  than  the  mere 
mechanical;  but  sufficient  is  mentioned  to  show  that,  with 
experience,  he  does  so. 

There  are   individuals  in  which   the  pointing   instinct  is 


BREAKING    AND     HANDLING.  177 

very  imperfect  or  absent,  and  less  frequently  ones  in  which  the 
hunting  instinct  is  also  weak  or  absent,  yet  these  instances  are 
extremely  rare  and  are  not  race  characteristics;  they  are 
freaks  of  nature  mentally  as  others  are  freaks  physically.  Ex- 
cept in  infrequent  instances,  the  instinct  is  displayed  at  some 
period  during  puppyhood,  although  different  families  and  in- 
dividuals vary  greatly  in  respect  to  the  age  at  which  it  devel- 
ops. Occasionally  it  is  dormant  until  a  comparatively  late 
period.  Many  dogs,  remarkable  for  their  superior  field  powers, 
showed  no  pointing  instinct  before  maturity;  however,  in 
most  instances  it  is  exhibited  in  the  first  year,  commonly  the 
first  months,  if  proper  opportunity  is  afforded  to  exercise  it. 
The  pointing  capabilities  vary  in  the  same  individual  at 
different  times,  undoubtedly  attributable  to  the  effects  of 
cold,  or  other  bodily  indisposition;  for  the  dog,  like  his 
noble  lord  and  master,  has  his  hours  or  days  of  depression 
when,  consequently,  his  work  is  irregular  in  quantity  and 
inferior  in  quality. 

On  the  mistaken  assumption  that  the  instinct  is  due  to 
education  or  that  it  needs  intensifying,  it  has  been  said  that 
it  is  a  very  beneficial  act  to  take  a  pregnant  bitch  on  birds, 
even  when  she  is  near  the  last  period  of  gestation,  so  that 
the  instinct  may  be  strongly  impressed  upon  the  puppies. 
The  hunting  instinct  of  the  dog  is  not  dependent  on  any  tri- 
fling efforts  of  man  for  its  perpetuation.  Disuse  for  a  short 
period  does  not  impair  it  to  the  extreme  degree  laid  down 
by  theoretical  writers,  many  of  whom  evolve  a  theory  from 
their  imaginations;  then  the  theory,  by  repetition,  rises  to 
the  dignity  of  a  fact  in  popular  estimation.  As  a  case  in 
point,  the  instinct  to  hunt  rabbits  is  quite  as  strong  in  the 
pointer  and  setter  as  the  instinct  to  hunt  birds,  simply  be- 
cause both  are  their  natural  prey.  This  instinct  has  been 
restrained  and  forcibly  repressed  by  sportsmen  and  trainers 
through  an  unbroken  number  of  generations.  Constant 


178  MODERN    TRAINING. 

pains  have  been  taken  to  prevent  the  exercise  of  it,  and 
equal  pains  have  been  taken  to  afford  opportunity  to  inten- 
sify the  instinct  to  hunt  birds;  yet  the  instinct  to  hunt  rab- 
bits is  just  as  strong  in  the  dogs  of  to-day  as  in  those  of  by- 
gone ages.  The  desire  to  hunt  rabbits  appears  to  be,  in 
fact,  stronger  than  the  desire  to  hunt  birds,  for  dogs  will 
hunt  them  from  an  early  age  and,  if  left  to  themselves,  will ' 
often  do  so  as  a  matter  of  choice.  Even  dogs  posssessing 
indifferent  merits  of  physique  and  poor  merit  in  work  on 
birds  will  hunt  rabbits  voluntarily  with  great  dash  and  de- 
termination. Their  fondness  for  hunting  them  is  often  so 
strong  that  severe  punishment  is  required  to  break  them  of 
it.  This  leads  us  to  the  point  that  no  breeder  would  enter- 
tain the  proposition  for  a  moment  that  it  was  necessary  to 
hunt  a  pregnant  bitch  on  rabbits  to  perpetuate  the  instinct 
in  her  progeny;  nevertheless,  the  instinct  is  precisely  the 
same  in  both  instances,  and  has  no  reference  to  a  man  and 
gun,  but  to  a  food  supply  in  a  state  of  nature.  Birds  are 
but  one  part  of  the  dog's  natural  prey;  by  education  he  can 
be  taught  to  hunt  birds  and  entirely  ignore  rabbits,  or  vice 
versa,  but  his  instincts  are  not  changed  thereby  in  the  slight- 
est degree. 

The  early  exhibition  of  the  pointing  instinct  is  often  pa- 
raded as  a  decisive  sign  of  superiority.  The  assumption  is 
fallacious.  Some  puppies  will  point  when  very  young,  even 
when  a  few  weeks  old,  yet  such  early  exhibition  of  the  in- 
stinct is  of  no  material  advantage.  Until  the  dog  has  some 
maturity  and  working  powers,  pointing  has  no  value.  If 
there  is  no  manifestation  of  it  within  the  first  year,  or  year 
and  one  half,  the  puppy  should  not  be  condemned  if  his 
other  qualities  are  sufficiently  meritorious  to  promise  well. 
Probably  at  some  period  of  the  second  year  the  instinct  will 
develop.  A  dog  of  this  kind  may  work  weeks  in  succession 
under  the  most  favorable  conditions  in  respect  to  birds, 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  179 

grounds,  handling,  etc.,  and  still  not  show  the  slightest  indi- 
cation that  he  descended  from  a  race  which  pointed  instinct- 
ively, and  with  the  discouraging  prospect  that  he  would  not 
point  even  with  further  weeks  of  trouble  and  work  ;  never- 
theless, the  trainer  should  not  be  discouraged.  In  the  human 
race,  instances  of  the  late  development  of  the  mental  pow- 
ers are  not  uncommon.  Many  boys  who  are  stupid  at 
school  and  simple  at  home  show  a  superior  intellect  in  ma- 
ture years,  far  surpassing  their  more  precocious  companions. 
There  will  come  a  day  when  the  dog  catches  the  scent  just 
right;  when  all  the  conditions  are  favorable,  he  will  jump  in- 
stantly into  a  point,  straighten  up  and  strike  an  attitude  as 
if  he  had  done  the  act  for  months.  It  will  seem  to  be  so 
easily  done  and  such  a  matter  of  course  that  it  will  be  a 
cause  of  wonderment  why  it  was  not  done  before.  After  a 
point  has  been  made  once,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  getting 
him  to  repeat  it  and  establishing  the  act  permanently  in  its 
proper  relations,  if  the  handling  is  done  properly. 

The  failure  to  exhibit  the  pointing  or  hunting  instinct, 
which  is  a  very  rare  occurrence,  is  commonly  ascribed  to  the 
entire  absence  of  the  race  characteristic  and  often  it  is  so 
stated  as  a  fact,  plainly  a  hasty  and  unwarranted  conclusion 
as  applied  to  all  cases.  Such  may  be  the  fact,  and  probably 
is  at  times,  although,  from  the  evident  complexities  of  the 
subject,  it  is  impossible  to  determine  the  cause  accurately; 
therefore  the  most  positive  statement  in  regard  to  it  can  be 
but  little  more  than  conjecture.  It  is  much  more  reason- 
able to  presume  that  the  sense  of  smell  is  functionally  imper- 
fect, or  never  was  present,  and  the  dog  is  thereby  rendered 
incapable  of  pointing  or  pursuing  by  scent,  from  being 
wholly  unconscious  of  the  presence  of  game.  This  view  is 
peculiarly  plausible  when  it  is  considered  that  many  congen- 
ital infirmities  of  the  senses  are  not  uncommon.  Dogs 
are,  in  some  instances,  born  deaf,  or  blind,  or  partially 


l8o  MODERN    TRAINING. 

so.  Certain  diseases  will  sometimes  impair  the  function  of 
scenting  or  wholly  destroy  it,  distemper  being  the  most  com- 
mon. It  frequently  is  very  difficult  to  determine  whether 
errors  in  work  are  due  to  carelessness  or  a  poor  nose.  It 
can  only  be  known  by  careful  watching.  A  dog,  possessing 
even  a  moderate  nose,  may  do  very  satisfactory  work  pro- 
viding he  has  good  judgment,  is  careful,  and  free  from  ex- 
citement. If  he  will  point  tame  chickens  by  sight,  it  is  still 
more  probable  that  his  sense  of  smell  is  absent  or  imperfect, 
if  the  pointing  or  hunting  instinct  is  not  exhibited  in  the 
field  by  pursuing  game  by  the  powers  of  scent.  It  may  be 
mentioned,  by  the  way,  that  the  pernicious  practice  of  point- 
ing tame  chickens  by  sight  about  the  yard  should  be  dis- 
couraged. It  does  not,  in  the  least,  usefully  improve  the 
dog's  pointing,  and  may,  with  some,  be  disadvantageous. 
If  a  puppy  has  persistently  pointed  chickens  by  sight,  the 
habit  of  so  pointing  becomes  fixed  and  still  asserts  itself  in 
field  work.  When  pointing  game  birds,  the  desire  to  see 
the  birds  is  intense,  and  the  consequent  necessity  to  press 
too  closely  to  effect  the  purpose  may  lead  to  aggravating 
and  unnecessary  errors.  He  should  be  required  to  depend  en- 
tirely on  his  nose  and  judgment  in  locating  and  pointing 
his  birds,  which  cannot  be  done  by  permitting  him  to  point 
tame  chickens  by  sight;  besides  the  fact  that  such  is  detri- 
mental to  his  field  work,  it  ends  in  killing  poultry  sooner  or 
later,  when  favorable  opportunity  occurs,  and  once  acquired 
it  is  a  difficult  fault  to  cure. 

Pointing  is  very  easily  established  in  the  greater  number 
of  instances  by  actual  field  work  on  game,  and  all  that  is  re- 
quired is  to  afford  an  abundance  of  opportunities.  When 
the  dog  makes  his  points  naturally,  they  can  be  gradually 
established  and  prolonged  by  art.  It  is  better  to  let  him 
point  quite  a  number  of  times  before  killing  birds  over  him, 
so  that  the  act  may  become  confirmed  and  improved  as 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  l8l 

much  as  possible;  for  when  he  sees  a  few  birds  fall,  smells 
the  blood  and  learns  that  the  gun  will  kill,  he  may  become, 
in  a  great  measure,  unmanageable  and  abandon  all  attempts 
at  pointing.  All  his  previous  training,  for  the  time  being, 
may  be  entirely  ignored.  The  determination  to  catch  the 
birds  or  gain  possession  may  be  stronger  than  any  fear  of 
his  master.  Sometimes  it  requires  a  great  deal  of  tact  to 
get  him  by  this  period  without  developing  other  faults,  such 
as  running  away,  blinking,  gunshyness,  etc.  If  he  is  not 
wholly  confirmed  in  pointing  before  birds  are  killed  to  his 
points,  he  may  become  so  thoroughly  unsteady  that  it  will 
require  weeks  to  adjust  him  so  that  he  will  again  point  with 
any  degree  of  certainty,  and  the  same  method  will  then  have 
to  be  pursued  that  should  have  been  adopted  at  first,  namely, 
let  him  point  a  number  of  times  until  he  has  some  steadi- 
ness, only  killing  occasionally  at  such  times  as  he  can  be 
kept  under  restraint,  this  part  requiring  the  exercise  of 
judgment;  if  he  is  earnestly  intent  on  a  bird  being  killed, 
shoot  and  miss.  It  is  not  at  all  essential  that  many  birds 
be  killed  over  a  dog  of  such  disposition  in  his  early  training; 
on  the  contrary,  it  may  be  injurious,  since  he  may  run  riot, 
looking  for  a  dead  bird  when  the  gun  is  fired,  thereby  caus- 
ing complication  and  trouble.  This  is  the  maneuver  shown 
by  the  average  dog;  but  there  may  be  timid  and  indolent 
dogs  that  can  only  be  stimulated  by  shooting  birds  over  them 
at  every  opportunity,  and  even  permitting  them  to  break  shot 
betimes.  Very  little  assistance  can  be  given  a  dog  to  teach 
him  to  point  aside  from  giving  him  ample  opportunity,  and 
if  he  will  not  show  interest  in  birds,  no  assistance  can  be 
given.  If  he  will  road  to  a  flush,  he  may  be  corrected  just 
enough  to  make  him  wary  of  flushing,  yet  not  enough  to 
prevent  him  from  reading;  still  there  must  be  some  indica- 
tions of  natural  pointing,  otherwise  the  dog  is  not  worth  the 
trouble  of  training.  However,  as  explained  elsewhere,  it  in 


j82  MODERN    TRAINING. 

many  instances  requires  quite  a  long  while  to  determine 
this. 

When  the  puppy  is  drawing  to  a  point,  after  he  has  learned 
how  to  point,  he  should  be  permitted  to  do  so  in  his  own 
manner.  If  there  is  danger  that  he  will  flush  and  chase,  he 
may  be  given  a  word  or  two  of  caution;  but  the  disgusting 
and  interminable  bawling  out  of  orders,  and  the  loss  of 
temper  common  to  amateurs,  and  a  few  who  are  not  pre- 
cisely such,  are  wholly  unnecessary  and  accomplish  no  good; 
on  the  contrary,  they  do  much  harm.  Such  turbulence  has 
its  origin  in  the  fears  of  losing  a  shot  rather  than  in  intense 
zeal  in  dog  training. 

Now,  in  steadying  a  dog  to  his  point,  it  should  be  borne 
in  mind  that  a  short  point,  in  most  instances,  will  serve  the 
dog's  purpose,  /.  e.,  to  spring  and  capture  when  the  birds 
are  located  ;  but  by  the  art  of  the  trainer,  the  point  is  pro- 
longed and  steadied  to  serve  the  purpose  of  the  shooter. 
In  place  of  flushing  the  birds,  he  is  taught  to  avoid  doing 
so.  This,  if  properly  taught,  is  done  by  slow  degrees. 
If  it  can  be  done  by  repeated  opportunities  and  kindnesses, 
such  is  the  best  method;  if  the  dog  is  willful  or  heedless  of 
his  handler,  the  whip  must  be  administered  after  every 
willful  flush.  In  this  connection,  as  with  others  where  pun- 
ishment is  advised,  the  trainer  must  observe  careful  judg-. 
ment  as  to  the  severity  of  the  punishment  and  the  disposi- 
tion of  the  dog,  for  there  is  a  turning  point  from  the  effects 
of  punishment  that  must  be  carefully  watched  for;  if  passed, 
the  most  courageous  dog  may  become  cowed  and  blink,  then 
there  is  trouble  for  the  trainer. 

If  the  dog  is  extremely  difficult  to  control,  a  light  check-- 
cord should  be  attached  to  his  collar.  When  he  points, 
the  trainer  can  step  on  the  checkcord  and  walk  along  it  to 
him.  When  the  birds  are  flushed  then,  the  dog  is  under 
control.  If  he  struggles  hard  to  chase  the  birds,  a  spike 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  183 

collar  may  be  put  on  to  restrain  him.  It  will  not  only  pre- 
vent him  from  struggling,  but  if  he  is  specially  headstrong 
or  resentful,  he  may  be  given  a  little  slack  line  and  snubbed 
once  or  twice,  which  will  deter  him  from  chasing,  in  most 
instances.  If  he  breaks  the  point  and  flushes  the  birds, 
when  caught  he  should  be  taken  to  the  exact  place  where 
he  should  have  stood  and  then  scolded  well,  or  whipped  if 
necessary.  Keep  him  down  for  several  minutes;  if  he  man- 
ifests great  impatience,  make  him  remain  until  he  is  patient. 
If  he  is  inattentive  to  scolding  or  his  handler,  a  cut  of  the 
whip  maybe  given;  this  part,  as  before  mentioned,  must  be 
applied  with  caution,  as,  if  overdone,  there  is  a  probability 
of  more  faults  in  a  moment  than  can  be  corrected  in  a 
month.  Timid  dogs,  particularly,  must  be  steadied  to  their 
points  with  the  greatest  care  and  gentleness,  and  if  they 
are  at  all  whipshy,  the  whip  must  not  be  applied  at  all  in 
connection  with  pointing.  The  trainer  cannot  be  too  care- 
ful in  avoiding  any  acts  which  will  cause  blinking,  and  at 
the  first  sign  of  indifference  or  distrust  with  reference  to 
pointing,  he  must  withhold  all  punishment  until  such  times 
as  the  dog's  self-confidence  is  restored,  if  he  needs  it  at  all. 
There  is  no  branch  wherein  it  is  more  essential  that  master 
and  dog  should  be  on  good  terms  than  when  pointing  is  be- 
ing perfected;  for  if  the  dog  dislikes  his  handler,  it  is  simply  a 
form  of  shyness — gunshyness,  whipshyness,  birdshyness  or 
handler-shyness,  all  originating  in  fear.  Unlike  many  other 
branches  of  a  dog's  education,  there  are  several  things  to 
be  accomplished  at  one  time,  the  success  of  which  is  en- 
tirely dependent  upon  the  dog's  confidence  and  inclination. 
If  he  will  not  go  to  his  birds  voluntarily,  there  is  absolutely 
no  way  to  force  him  to  do  so;  therefore  it  is  evident  that 
however  badly  he  performs  there  must  always  be  a  certain 
amount  of  his  interest  preserved;  he  must  not  be  punished 
so  much  as  to  destroy  his  interest  in  hunting,  else  the  train- 


184  MODERN    TRAINING. 

ing  ends.  By  various  little  arts,  applied  as  opportunity  of- 
fers, much  can  be  done  to  establish  stanchness  with  very 
little  punishment.  If  the  trainer  can  walk  in  from  the 
front,  or  ta"ke  a  circular  course  and  get  nearly  in  front  of 
the  puppy  while  he  is  pointing,  he  will  be  enabled  to  catch 
the  dog's-  eye  and  can  easily  check  any  signs  of  unsteadi- 
ness. No  effort  should  be  made  to  make  the  dog  over- 
stanch  on  his  point.  He  should  be  permitted  to  ma- 
neuver and  point  his  birds  in  an  intelligent  manner,  and  any 
stanchness  beyond  what  is  necessary  is  a  fault,  which  will 
be  shown  by  standing  after  the  birds  have  run,  or  on  a  hot 
footscent,  or  by  standing  after  the  birds  have  flown  away. 
It  is  essential  to  train  the  dog  to  point  at  a  proper  dis- 
tance from  his  birds — neither  too  far  nor  too  close;  in  the 
former  case  he  gives  the  handler  a  great  deal  of  unneces- 
sary trouble  in  beating  over  a  large  area  of  ground  to  flush; 
in  the  latter,  he  will  make  a  great  many  unnecessary  flushes; 
therefore,  notwithstanding  that  pointing  birds  at  a  long  dis- 
tance is  considered  a  desirable  quality  by  many,  since  it  is  as- 
serted that  it  denotes  a  keen  nose,  it  is  undesirable  in  practice. 
It  does  not  necessarily  denote  a  keener  nose  than  that  of  a  dog 
which  points  closer,  but  it  denotes  bad  judgment  in  the  dog 
or  unskillful  training  in  the  handler.  To  correct  the  fault 
if  he  is  well  advanced  in  training,  judicious  punishment 
should  be  given  for  flushes  caused  by  pressing  the  birds  too 
closely.  This  will  make  him  cautious  to  avoid  flushing. 
The  dog  which  stands  on  the  footscent  or  points  at  too 
great  a  distance  requires  encouragement  by  kindness.  Grad- 
ually he  will  acquire  more  boldness;  and  flushes  which  he 
makes  occasionally  may  be  overlooked  discreetly.  In  fact, 
tact  must  be  exercised  in  applying  methods,  it  being  quite 
as  important  as  method  itself.  The  intelligence  and  natural 
capabilities  of  the  dog  are  important  elements  in  train- 
ing. If  he  is  honest,  but  a  bit  stupid  and  frequent  errors 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  185 

result  from  his  working  powers  being  inferior  to  his  zeal, 
trust  to  frequent  opportunities  to  correct  it;  if  the  dog  is 
timid,  encouragement  is  the  chief  reliance;  if  headstrong, 
the  whip  and  kindness  combined;  if  the  dog  is  cunning,  he 
is  necessarily  intelligent;  the  trainer  can  anticipate  his 
schemes  and  checkmate  him.  He  will  learn  to  deceive  a 
kind  master  in  a  dozen  ways  to  accomplish  his  purpose; 
when  he  commits  an  error,  he  will  affect  a  look  of  apparent 
innocence.  A  good  whipping  usually  serves  to  sharpen  his 
faculties.  The  dog  which  has  a  poor  nose,  or  is  mentally 
weak,  should  be  dealt  with  leniently;  he  is  blameless  for  his 
natural  imperfections.  In  all  cases  the  punishment  is  sim- 
ply an  auxiliary  if  properly  used.  The  trainer,  with  all  the 
punishment  that  may  be  necessary,  can  treat  the  dog  kindly 
and  make  him  understand  that  the  punishment  is  entirely 
associated  with  certain  objectionable  acts,  and  aside  from 
them  there  is  nothing  to  fear. 

If  the  puppy  ranges  well,  it  is  better  to  hunt  him  alone, 
thus  cultivating  a  spirit  of  self-reliance  and  making  the 
pleasure  of  finding  and  pointing  dependent  on  his  own 
efforts;  moreover,  his  efforts  are  not  interrupted  by  any 
faults  of  another  dog,  for  it  frequently  happens  that  the 
good  work  of  one  puppy  is  spoiled  by  the  bad  work  of 
another,  and  the  correction  of  one  may  disconcert  the  other. 
Two  partially  trained  dogs  generally  show  great  ingenuity 
in  working  birds  in  their  own  manner,  but  it  is  not  the  man- 
ner that  the  shooter  approves.  One  untrained  dog  is  all 
that  the  amateur  should  attempt  to  control  at  one  time. 
However,  if  it  is  desirable  to  give  the  puppy  a  great  deal  of 
experience  in  a  limited  time,  as,  for  instance,  when  he  is 
being  fitted  for  field  trials,  an  old  dog  which  is  steady,  in- 
telligent, and  free  from  any  acts  of  jealousy  may  be  worked 
with  him  to  special  advantage.  Wide,  fast  ranging  is  very 
fatiguing  to  a  young  dog,  particularly  if  the  weather  is 


1 86  MODERN    TRAINING. 

warm.  The  old  dog  is  worked  to  find  the  bevies,  while  the 
puppy  is  kept  at  heel ;  when  a  bevy  is  found  there  is  then 
an  opportunity  for  the  puppy  to  back;  and  afterward  on  the 
scattered  birds  of  the  bevy,  he  can  have  frequent  opportu- 
nities to  point.  However,  it  is  not  advisable  to  keep  him 
under  constant  restraint;  let  him  range  awhile  so  that  his 
work  will  preserve  its  uniformity;  special  work  in  one  branch 
to  the  exclusion  of  others  is  to  their  detriment. 

No  dog  is  properly  trained  unless  he  can  be  trusted  to 
point  his  birds  properly  without  any  orders  whatever.  This 
proficiency  can  be  established  by  experience  and  making 
him,  as  much  as  possible,  rely  wholly  on  his  own  judgment 
in  pointing.  He  can  be  assisted  prudently  in  subordinate 
details,  as,  for  instance,  if  he  roads  on  the  back  track  up 
wind  and  loses  the  course  of  the  birds,  a  little  assistance  will 
readjust  him;  also  he  can  be  prevented  from  running  riot; 
but,  if  he  has  experience  in  his  work  on  the  birds,  he  should 
be  allowed  to  attempt  the  point  in  his  own  manner,  even  if 
he  is  certain  to  flush.  After  he  has  committed  the  fault,  if 
willful,  he  can  be  punished  for  it  in  the  same  manner  as  for 
any  other  fault,  increasing  the  punishment  with  each  repe- 
tition, if  he  will  submit  to  it  steadily,  until  he  becomes 
attentive  to  correct  pointing.  Unintentional  flushes,  how- 
ever, should  be  excused.  If  a  dog  is  trained  to  constant 
supervision  and  prompting  on  his  points,  he  naturally  re- 
quires it  in  his  work  through  life,  and,  at  best,  it  is  extremely 
faulty  since  the  dog  frequently  finds  game  when  out  of  sight 
or  out  of  hearing,  or  beyond  control.  When  trained  to 
point  honestly  on  his  own  judgment,  he  is  just  as  trust- 
worthy when  out  of  sight  as  when  in  sight;  or  when  a  mile 
away  as  when  within  reach  of  the  whip.  Remember  that 
the  perfection  of  training  is  to  educate  a  dog  so  that  he 
will  work  to  the  gun  without  orders. 

It  should  not  be  forgotten  that  the  instinct  to  point  is 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  187 

sometimes  present,  in  certain  individuals,  to  an  abnormal 
degree.  Dogs  having  it  to  such  a  degree  may  be  pointing 
perpetually  on  any  strange  scent,  or  by  sight  on  any  strange 
object,  when  taken  afield,  and  ac  such  times  can  only  with 
difficulty  be  stirred;  and  then  the  next  instant  but  to  point 
again.  A  chip,  stump,  a  bright  flower,  rock  or  likely  place 
for  game,  all  serve  the  purpose  to  point.  Sometimes  a  dog, 
having  this  infirmity,  will  point  immediately  after  being 
taken  out  of  a  wagon  or  taken  into  the  field.  Such  dogs 
are  wholly  worthless  for  field  work.  The  pointing  instinct 
is  sufficiently  developed  if  present  in  a  useful  degree,  and 
as  it  is  so  present  in  the  greater  number  of  individuals,  it 
needs  no  intensifying. 

Both  setters  and  pointers  stand  to  their  points  naturally, 
although  some,  having  more  caution  than  others,  crouch 
more  or  less,  while  a  small  percentage  drop  to  the  ground, 
this  manner  being  more  frequent  with  setters  than  with 
pointers.  With  many  it  is  only  occasional,  as  when  they 
suddenly  discover  that  they  have  unconsciously  drawn  too 
close  to  the  birds  and  are  in  danger  of  flushing,  the  act 
undoubtedly  being  one  of  concealment  rather  than  one  of 
inheritance.  However,  habitually  dropping  to  point  is  fre- 
quently the  result  of  too  much  discipline  in  dropping  to 
wing,  the  training  not  remaining  fixed  at  the  degree  which 
the  trainer  intended.  At  the  first  flutter  of  wings  the  dog 
drops  instantly;  as  the  habit  becomes  more  and  more  fixed 
by  constant  repetition,  he  anticipates  the  rise  of  the  bird, 
and  drops  too  soon.  Finally  he  will  stand  during  a  second 
or  two  and  then  drop,  which  soon  ends  in  dropping  to  his 
points  regularly.  This  is  hastened  if  the  handler,  from  fear 
of  not  having  steadiness,  as  frequently  occurs,  drops  the 
dog  on  his  point  before  the  birds  rise;  or  if  he  is  worked 
hard  day  after  day,  he  may  drop  on  his  points  from  fatigue. 

By  far  the  greater  number  of  expert  breakers  train  their 

13 


l88  MODERN    TKAINIXO. 

dogs  to  perfect  stanchness.  Training  the  dog  to  flush  reg- 
ularly to  order  is  not  good  training;  in  fact,  this  pernicious 
practice  is  not  tolerated  by  experts.  It  is  much  more  diffi- 
cult to  train  the  dog  to  perfect  stanchness  than  to  teach 
him  to  flush  to  order  or  signal,  since  in  the  former  instance 
he  is  required  to  do  an  act  against  his  will;  in  the  latter, 
one  in  consonance  with  it.  He  may  perform  nicely  during 
the  first  season  or  part  of  a  season,  but  from  being  required 
to  flush  at  first  to  please  his  master,  he  improves  on  the  act, 
and  at  last  learns  to  flush  to  please  himself.  In  shooting 
woodcock,  ruffed  grouse,  or  quails  in  thick  cover,  it  is 
sometimes  necessary  to  order  the  dog  on  to  flush,  but  it 
should  only  be  done  when  absolutely  necessary,  and  stanch- 
ness  should  be  made  imperative  at  all  other  times.  It  has 
been  said  that  in  some  kinds  of  shooting  it  is  a  necessity; 
this  in  nowise  affects  the  injurious  consequences  to  the 
dog's  work.  There  is  no  expert  handler  but  what  can  easily 
teach  a  dog  to  flush  to  order,  and  probably  there  are  none 
but  what  have  so  taught  a  dog  at  some  time;  yet,  as  a  class, 
the  handlers  condemn  it  as  being  unnecessary,  harmful  and 
unskillful.  Nevertheless,  there  are  a  few  sportsmen  with 
whom  the  method  finds  favor,  and  such  should  train  in  such 
manner  as  enhances  their  pleasure. 

In  teaching  pointing,  the  training  should  be  confined 
strictly  to  game  birds.  The  amateur  is  disposed  to  think 
that  it  is  a  gain  if  his  puppy  will  point  field  larks  nicely.  If 
the  desire  is  to  make  the  dog  £  true  finder,  larks  should 
never  be  shot  over  his  points.  Hunting  and  pointing  them 
should  be  discouraged  as  much  as  possible  without  punish- 
ment. The  larks  should- not  be  shot  at.  By  thus  ignoring 
such  work,  he  will  eventually,  in  most  cases,  quit  hunting 
them  and  confine  his  work  to  game  birds.  If  game  birds 
are  scarce,  almost  any  dog  will  point  larks  occasionally.  If 
an  aged,  trained  dog,  from  taking  pleasure  in  hunting  them, 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  189 

persists  in  pointing  them  to  an  offensive  degree,  the  whip 
may  be  liberally  applied  at  every  repetition  until  he  will 
blink  them,  the  effects,  however,  being  noted  and  governed 
with  reference  to  the  performance  on  game  birds;  for  in 
being  broken  from  hunting  one  he  might  be  broken  from 
hunting  all.  By  showing  approval  and  praising  him  when 
game  birds  are  pointed,  and  disapproval  and  punishment 
when  larks  are  pointed,  the  trouble  generally  may  be 
avoided.  Pointing  rabbits  can  be  corrected  in  a  similar 
manner.  Nearly  all  dogs  will  point  turtles,  snakes,  etc.,  but 
so  rarely,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  such  animals,  that  no 
notice  need  be  taken  of  it.  In  teaching  the  dog  to  work  to 
the  gun,  it  is  well  to  remember  that  the  pointing  instinct  is 
not  specially  implanted  in  the  dog's  nature  for  the  benefit 
of  some  man  to  shoot  at  the  pointed  bird  with  a  gun  ;  and 
that  if  the  gun  were  not  present  the  act  would  be  incomplete 
and  meaningless. 

It  is  commonly  supposed  that  false  pointing  is  caused  by 
an  inferior  nose.  Dogs  possessing  the  best  of  noses  will 
exhibit  the  fault  at  times,  particularly  when  excessively 
fatigued.  It  may  be  caused  temporarily  by  severe  punish- 
ment for  flushing,  in  which  event  it  disappears  in  time  if  the 
cause  is  not  perpetuated.  If  a  dog  is  naturally  a  confirmed 
false  pointer,  there  is  no  remedy  for  it;  such  faulty  act 
being  probably  from  inability  to  distinguish  between  scents, 
or  an  abnormal  development  of  the  pointing  instinct.  If  it 
is  shown  occasionally,  ignore  the  point  as  much  as  possible. 
Punishment  aggravates  the  fault. 

The  amateur  invariably  over-estimates  the  harmfulness  of 
flushes  in  early  training,  generally  because  he  is  more  intent 
on  shooting  than  on  dog  training;  many  times  the  dog  is 
punished,  not  for  the  flush,  but  for  the  lost  shot.  If  the 
trainer  wishes  to  know  the  true  value  of  a  flush,  let  him 
leave  his  gun  at  home,  and  thus  the  cause  of  his  anxiety 


190  MODERN    TRAINING. 

being  absent,  his  judgment  will  be  unbiased,  and  he  then 
can  see  how  the  puppy,  in  his  inexperience  and  awkward 
methods,  was  blameless.  The  flight  of  a  bird  consequent  to 
a  flush  was  not  the  unpardonable  offence  and  irritating  dis- 
appointment that  it  seemed  when  the  gun  was  in  hand. 
When  the  amateur  can  take  his  gun  afield,  take  an  interest 
in  training  and  judge  the  merits  of  work  as  calmly  and 
without  prejudice  as  when  the  gun  is  absent,  he  has  then 
attained  a  very  correct  frame  of  mind  for  conducting  the 
training  properly;  but  ordinarily  it  requires  a  long  time  to 
get  the  amateur  past  the  stage  where  he  feels  a  greater 
desire  to  kill  birds  than  to  train  dogs. 

Flushing  is  seldom  a  willful  fault  in  a  well-trained  dog, 
although  it  occasionally  is  so,  yet  punishment  is  inflicted 
many  times  when  the  dog  is  wholly  blameless.  There  are 
many  conditions  under  which  the  dog  is  almost  certain  to 
flush.  It  is  impossible  for  him  to  scent  birds,  with  any 
degree  of  certainty,  down  wind.  If  after  a  bevy,  he  may 
cautiously  road  down  wind,  but  unless  he  has  rare  judgment 
and  experience,  he  will  flush.  If  he  stops  to  a  point  under 
such  circumstances,  he  discriminates  by  the  intensity  of  the 
foot  scent,  but  he  seldom  points  under  such  circumstances 
with  certainty.  An  intelligent  dog,  if  left  to  his  own  will, 
generally  takes  a  cast  around  and  below  them  to  get  the 
wind.  Going  across  wind  is  practically  as  difficult  for  the 
dog  to  perform  in  as  going  down  wind,  if  the  birds  are 
straight  ahead  of  him.  Any  position  which  precludes  the 
possibility  of  the  scent  reaching  the  dog's  nose  is  sufficient 
to  excuse  him  for  any  flushes. 

Every  sportsman  of  experience  has  seen  a  retrieving 
pointer  or  setter  trot  squarely  over  a  dead  bird,  while  search- 
ing for  it,  wholly  unconscious  of  its  proximity;  yet  if  within 
fifteen  or  twenty  yards  of  it  down  wind,  the  dog  would  scent 
and  go  directly  to  it.  Under  these  circumstances,  the 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  191 

novice  invariably  declares  that  the  dog  has  no  nose,  for  he 
cannot  conceive  how  a  dog  can  trot  directly  over  a  bird 
without  scenting  it.  The  breeze  undoubtedly  carries  the 
scent  with  it  and  dissipates  it  over  larger  and  larger  spaces, 
much  the  same  as  smoke  is  wafted  from  a  chimney-top  by  a 
gentle  wind,  although  as  a  matter  of  course  the  scent  is 
much  more  volatile;  hence  it  is  apparent  that  a  dog,  stand- 
ing over  a  dead  bird,  could  not  scent  it  so  well  as  when  he 
was  several  yards  down  wind,  and  this  from  perfectly  nat- 
ural causes. 

Flushes  due  to  inexperience  are  also  excusable,  and  there- 
fore the  puppy  should  not  be  punished  for  them.  He  may 
be  held  in  check  for  awhile,  and  both  voice  and  manner 
may  show  disapproval;  and  thus  he  is  taught  that  it  is  a 
faulty  act.  So  keenly  can  the  dog's  love  of  approbation  be 
developed  that  he  will  exercise  the  greatest  care  to  point  so 
as  to  hold  his  birds;  if  a  flush  unfortunately  happens,  he 
will  show  by  his  crestfallen  demeanor  that  he  feels  mortified 
at  the  failure.  Some  dogs  show  the  same  feelings  when 
laughed  at — dogs  having  such  sensitive  natures  deserve  to 
be  treated  with  great  consideration,  and  their  sensibilities 
ought  not  to  be  abused. 

The  novice  is  also  predisposed  to  blame  the  dog  for 
flushes  which  he  in  no  wise  committed.  A  command 
given  to  a  dog  when  near  the  birds  may  cause  a  flush,  and 
the  proximity  of  the  dog  is  considered  sufficient  evidence 
to  blame  him.  At  certain  seasons  of  the  year  when  birds 
are  wild,  the  sound  of  the  human  voice  is  sufficient  to  flush 
them  instantly.  Chickens  on  the  prairie  after  the  frosty 
nights  of  September,  or  after  the  high  winds  of  autumn  set 
in,  are  extremely  wild.  Quails,  after  a  frosty  night  or  a 
cold  rain  or  wind,  are  very  difficult  for  a  dog  to  point,  and 
it  is  rendered  almost  impossible  if  the  handler  gives  loud 
orders,  or  a  loquacious  companion  is  present.  This  is  par- 


192  MODERN    TRAINING. 

ticularly  aggravating  if  such  companion  thinks  the  dog 
blamable  for  the  flush,  which  is  usually  what  he  does  think. 
A  puppy,  in  training,  after  he  has  learned  to  point,  should 
not  have  birds  shot  to  .his  flushes.  Points  alone  are  to  be 
associated  with  the  killing  of  a  bird.  Thoroughly  trained, 
dogs  can  have  birds  shot  over  points  or  flushes  without  in- 
jury to  their  training  if  kept  within  it,  but  such  has  no  ap- 
plication to  the  proper  manner  of  training  a  puppy;  how- 
ever, as  in  other  cases,  this  is  open  to  exceptions  as  in  cases 
where  it  is  desirable  to  encourage  a  timid  or  backward  dog, 
etc.,  no  rule  in  dog  training  being  strictly  arbitrary. 


* 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  193 


CHAPTER  XI. 

RANGING. 

Ranging  is  the  act  of  beating  out  the  ground  in  a  more 
or  less  irregular  and  informal  manner,  the  dog  in  a  great 
measure  exercising  his  own  judgment  in  conducting  it. 

It  is  a  noticeable  fact,  and  one  frequently  commented  on 
by  sportsmen,  that  the  half  broken  country  dogs,  as  a  class, 
are  wonderfully  intelligent  in  working  ground  to  the  best 
advantage,  and  are  also  successful  finders  of  game.  This 
is  not,  as  many  suppose,  from  natural  superiority;  it  is  due 
to  the  natural  and  better  manner  in  which  they  acquire  an 
education.  Their  owners,  in  most  cases,  neither  know  nor 
profess  to  know  anything  of  expert  training.  If  the.  dog 
will  point  sufficiently  long  to  afford  his  handler  a  shot,  he 
does  all  that  is  expected  or  required,  and  in  respect  to  rang- 
ing he  is  left  free  to  suit  himself,  consequently  he  works 
almost  entirely  on  his  own  judgment.  Usually  he- is  very 
quick  to  take  advantage  of  all  kinds  of  working  opportuni- 
ties. From  unhindered  experience,  he  learns  to  seek  for  the 
haunts  of  birds;  and  by  cultivation  his  judgment  becomes 
so  excellent  that  he  can  tell  a  promising  corner  with  as 
much  precision  as  hi$  master.  Little  sheltered  nooks  and 
thickets,  which  the  comparatively  inexperienced  city  dog 
would  pass  by  unnoticed,  he  diligently  searches;  he-knows 
all  the  wiles  of  the  birds  and  how  to  circumvent  them,  tak- 
ing advantage  of  favorable  conditions  of  ground,  wind  and 
cover,  with  masterly  skill.  He  learns  the  daily  habits  of 


194  MODERN    TRAINING. 

birds,  for  during  the  feeding  hours  in  morning  and  evening 
he  searches  through  the  cornfields,  the  stubbles,  the  favor- 
able open  grounds;  during  the  midday  hours  he  devotes 
special  attention  to  the  cover.  He  whips  around  the  likely 
corners  in  the  promising  places,  dexterously  taking  the  wind. 
of  them,  and  he  plans  his  work  so  well  that  the  same  ground 
is  not  worked  twice,  nor  likely  places  left  untried.  He  is 
averse  to  working  in  bare  fields  where  there  is  no  likelihood 
of  finding  birds.  His  range  is  irregular,  wide  or  close, 
according  to  the  peculiarities  of  the  irregular  grounds  or 
promising  places;  withal  the  course  of  the  handler  is  con- 
stantly observed  as  a  guide  and  base  of  operations.  He 
exercises  his  memory  and  profits  by  it,  since,  if  hunted  a  few 
times  in  the  same  grounds,  he  learns  the  haunt  of  every 
bevy  and  will  thereafter  find  one  bevy  after  another  with 
rare  cunning  and  facility.  He  learns  the  variable  habits  of 
the  birds  caused  by  the  changeable  fall  and  winter  weather, 
and  the  consequent  changes  in  cover  and  food  supply,  and 
governs  his  efforts  thereby;  he  learns  to  mark  the  flight  of 
live  .birds  and  the  fall  of  dead  ones;  thus  by  his  superior 
knowledge,  resulting  from  the  experience  unhampered  by 
ceaseless  training,  he  excels. 

To  hunt  at  his  utmost  capabilities,  aside  from  all  consid- 
erations of  hunting  to  the  gun,  the  dog  needs  no  training 
by  man;  he  merely  needs  natural  opportunity  to  show  that 
he  is  a  fierce,  intelligent  and  persistent  hunter.  When  in 
pursuit  of  prey,  he  exerts  every  endeavor  to  effect  a  kill. 
Nor  are  his  efforts  blindly  impulsive;  when  he  has  had 
experience,  he  pursues  and  captures  with  great  address,  and 
exhibits  an  admirable  knowledge  of  means  to  ends.  His 
knowledge,  however,  is  acquired  by  degrees  as  his  expe- 
rience enlarges,  and  every  experience  adds  more  to  his 
capabilities. 

The  young  sportsman   may  have  a  dog  which  quarters 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  195 

perfectly  and  is  obedient  to  all  orders,  yet,  when  compared 
with  a  dog  which  knows  how  to  hunt,  he  makes  no  showing 
as  a  finder,  there  being  an  important  distinction  between 
knowing  how  to  quarter  and  obey  orders,  and  how  to  find 
birds.  The  owner  of  the  obedient  dog  is  loth  to  believe 
that  the  self-educated  dog  is  superior,  and  commonly  as- 
cribes the  disparity  of  performance  to  pure  luck;  yet,  if  he 
could  have  noted  carefully  without  bias,  he  would  have  seen 
that  every  act  of  the  self-educated  dog  was  performed  with 
rare  judgment,  and  that  he  was  guided  in  his  efforts  by  a 
full  knowledge  of  the  situation.  Now,  it  is  not  to  be  under- 
stood that  a  strictly  self-educated  dog  is  a  properly  trained 
dog,  nor  that  a  dog  which  will  obey  all  commands  is  such — 
the  properly  trained  dog  combines  the  excellences  of  both 
by  blending  the  two  acquirements  in  his  education. 

The  fact  that  a  dog  learns  by  experience  has  been  noted 
by  many  sportsmen,  but  comparatively  few  realize  its  im- 
portance in  training.  The  expert  trainers,  however,  we~e 
not  slow  to  perceive  its  advantages  and  utilize  them.  A 
quartering  dog  is  not  in  the  competition  with  a  dog  which 
ranges  well  on  his  own  judgment.  While  the  latter  is  rang- 
ing from  one  likely  place  to  another,  after  an  intelligent 
plan  to  work  all  such  places  without  unnecessary  waste  of 
time  or  effort,  the  former  is  uselessly  hunting  large  areas, 
after  a  formal  manner,  where  both  handler  and  dog  know 
there  are  no  birds. 

The  method  of  developing  ranging  at  its  best  is  the  same 
for  all  sections  of  country,  although  the  manner  of  apply- 
ing it  in  work  to  the  gun  will  necessarily  need  modifying  to 
meet  the  requirements  of  different  kinds  of  game.  It  con- 
sists in  the  very  simple  and  efficient  way  of  giving  the  dog 
free  opportunity  to  learn  it  himself,  then  training  him  to  the 
necessary  acts  of  obedience.  The  puppy,  whether  courage- 
ous or  timid,  needs  a  preliminary  experience  in  ranging  and 


196  MODERN    TRAINING. 

chasing  rabbits,  reading  and  chasing  birds  within  a  certain 
period  of  time.  In  this  manner  he  thoroughly  learns  the 
details  of  hunting,  and  this  accumulated  knowledge  of 
details  and  art  in  applying  it  is  the  perfection  of  the  dog's 
hunting  abilities.  To  learn  skillful  methods  of  hunting,  he 
must  have  an  experience  similar  to  that  of  the  average 
country  dog,  thus  when  hunting  there  is  no  uncertainty  in 
his  purpose  or  actions.  His  energies  are  concentrated  in 
determined  efforts  to  find  birds.  If  he  has  this  kind  of  pre- 
paratory experience,  which  may  be  comparatively  long  or 
short  accordingly  as  the  dog  is  bold  and  quick  to  learn,  or 
timid  and  backward,  he  usually  is  a  diligent  and  efficient 
worker  all  his  life.  Timid  dogs,  particularly,  require  a 
period  of  self-hunting  to  acquire  the  necessary  courage,  ex- 
perience, and  self-confidence;  indeed,  with  such,  it  in  mum- 
cases  is  a  necessity.  With  self-willed  or  courageous  dogs, 
while  they  do  not  need  encouraging,  they  need  self-hunting 
opportunities  to  learn  methods  of  pursuit  and  the  wiles  of 
the  birds,  for  birds  are  very  cunning  in  evading  the  dog, 
their  natural  enemy.  The  length  of  time  required  can  only 
be  determined  by  the  progress  of  the  dog.  The  opportu- 
nity to  hunt  without  hindrance  is  not  to  be  confounded 
with  self-hunting  as  exhibited  by  a  dog  which  ignores  the 
gun  entirely,  hunting  for  his  own  satisfaction;  in  the  former 
instance  the  dog  is  permitted  to  hunt  by  himself  for  his  best 
development,  but  he  does  not  abandon  his  trainer;  in  the 
latter,  the  dog  is  naturally  averse  to  hunting  under  any  re- 
straints. 

It  is  well  to  note  the  dog's  gain  in  progress  and  confi- 
dence, so  that  he  may  be  taken  in  hand  at  a  proper  junct- 
ure for  field  education,  otherwise  he  may  become  obsti- 
nately headstrong  and  correspondingly  difficult  to  reduce 
to  submission. 

The  amateur  generally  reverses  the  natural  order  of  educa- 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  197 

tion.  He  tries  to  educate  him  first,  and  give  the  experience 
afterward,  if  any  is  given  at  all.  A  dog  improperly  trained  in 
his  ranging  by  having  been  kept  under  perpetual  restraint 
may,  in  working,  appear  to  be  ranging  well,  but  is  simply 
ranging  without  any  intelligent  plans.  He  is  running  on 
all  kinds  of  ground,  and  not  systematically  going  from  one 
likely  place  to  another.  This  is  particularly  noticeable  when 
he  is  hunting  with  a  properly  experienced  dog.  The  infe- 
rior dog,  from  a  system  of  incessant  suppression,  has  no 
motive  other  than  to  run  while  in  the  fields. 

The  ranging  may  be  impaired  by  working  the  dog  too 
constantly  against  the  wind.  The  dog,  from  habit,  becomes 
accustomed  to  guide  his  course  by  it,  and  cannot  work  well 
in  any  other  direction.  If  the  handler  walks  down  wind, 
the  dog  turns  up  "wind  at  the  end  of  his  fling,  and  may 
come  close  in  front  or  behind  his  handler;  or  he  may  turn 
up  wind,  then  turn  down  wind  and  resume  his  cast  across, 
thus  making  a  loop  at  the  end  of  every  cast.  This  vicious 
habit  is  also  at  times  caused  by  over-training.  A  few  dogs 
naturally  turn  in  at  the  end  of  their  range.  Whatever  the 
cause,  it  is  important  to  correct  it  in  the  beginning,  if  pos- 
sible. Often  it  will  require  the  most  persistent  effort  to  do 
so.  If  the  dog  comes  in,  meet  him  with  the  whip,  flourish- 
ing it,  and  drive  him  out  to  his  work  if  his  disposition  will 
admit  of  the  use  of  the  whip  without  injury  to  his  work;  if 
not,  he  should  be  ordered  to  drop,  then  turn  him  in  the 
proper  direction.  Another*  faulty  method,  one  very  annoy- 
ing to  the  handler  and  damaging  to  sport,  is  the  constant 
running  out  and  immediately  returning  to  the  handler.  If 
the  running  is  done  in  a  course  parallel  with  the  handler  in 
a  line  ahead  of  him,  it  can  hardly  be  called  ranging,  and  is 
next  to  worthless.  By  a  self-hunting  experience  the  dog 
learns  to  hunt  in  any  direction,  regardless  of  the  direction 
of  the  wind,  or  rather,  he  can  take  advantage  of  it,  in  any 
direction  except  down  wind. 


198  MODERN    TRAINING. 

A  dog  must  have  a  fair  degree  of  speed  which  he  can 
maintain  at  a  uniform  gait  for  a  reasonable  length  of  time, 
if  he  has  any  pretensions  to  ranging.  The  slow  dog  is 
only  fit  for  woodcock  shooting,  or  quail  shooting  in  cover. 
The  fast  dog  is  the  king  of  the  field.  He  can  be  trained 
to  work  in  an  open  country,  ranging  wide  and  fast,  or  he 
can  be  trained  to  work  at  a  slow  gait  in  cover  or  small  fields. 
A  dog  having  great  powers  of  speed  and  endurance,  when 
trained  to  go  at  half  or  quarter  speed  in  a  cover  country,  is 
unquestionably  working  with  greater  ease  than  a  slow  dog 
which  is  running  nearly  at  the  top  of  his  speed;  yet  neither 
the  fast  nor  the  slow  workers  are  necessarily  good  per- 
formers merely  because  they  are  fast  or  slow.  If  a  dog  has 
a  good  nose,  he  can  perform  going  at  a  high  speed  quite  as 
well  as  at  slow  speed.  Some  fast  dogs  learn  to  adapt  them- 
selves, with  wonderful  readiness,  to  different  ground  and 
different  species  of  game;  for  instance,  a  dog  maybe  a  wide 
and  fast  ranger  on  quails,  yet  on  woodcock  he  may  entirely 
change  his  methods  to  harmonize  with  the  changed  require- 
ments and  surroundings.  But  whether  fast  or  slow,  no  dog 
can  perform  well  if  his  nose  is  functionally  poor. 

All  amateurs  are  inclined  to  work  their  dogs  too  slow. 
When  left  to  his  own  volition,  the  dog  soon  becomes  a  fast 
and  accurate  worker,  as  may  be  observed  when  dogs  are 
feral.  The  abilities  of  the  dog  in  respect  to  fast  work  are 
well  exemplified  in  the  performance  of  foxhounds  in  the 
chase.  The  hound  soon  learns  to  adjust  his  speed  to  his 
powers  of  scent. 

As  to  what  constitutes  the  proper  scope  of  ranging,  much 
depends  on  the  character  of  the  ground,  and  the  habits  of 
the  birds.  In  the  prairies  of  the  Northwest,  West  and 
Southwest,  when  hunting  for  chickens,  a  dog  is  not  ranging 
too  far  so  long  as  he  can  be  seen  well,  provided  that  he  is 
working  to  the  gun.  Half  a  mile  on  each  side  of  the  wagon 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  199 

is  not  an  unusual  range  for  some  of  the  best  chicken  dogs, 
and  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  an  eighth  is  about  the  average. 
It  is  plain  that  the  more  ground  a  dog  covers,  the  more  birds 
he  will  find.  On  quails,  the  dog  is  necessarily  forced  to  range 
more  irregularly,  the  character  of  the  country,  the  habits 
of  the  quails  and  their  habitat,  differing  entirely  from  the 
corresponding  ones  of  prairie  chickens.  In  the  East,  and 
in  some  sections  of  the  West  and  South  where  the  grounds 
are  rough  and  cover  dense,  wide  ranging  is  inadmissible. 
Nevertheless,  the  methods  of  work  are  commonly  slower 
than  need  be. 

The  dog,  for  any  kind  of  ranging,  is  not  trained  properly 
unless  he  will  range  wide  or  close  as  desired.  On  scattered 
birds  particularly,  it  is  necessary  to  have  him  so  that  he  is 
controllable  within  a  certain  range.  If  the  dog  refuses  to 
work  close,  the  checkcord,  or  checkcord  and  spike  collar, 
may  be  put  on  him,  thus  affording  means  to  control  him. 
In  hunting  for  bevies  he  should  be  taught  to  turn  to  a  note 
of  the  whistle,  or  to  look  to  his  handler  when  he  hears  a 
note  which  signifies  attention,  and  should  obey  a  signal  of 
the  hand  which  follows. 

To  preserve  the  dog's  ranging  powers  at  their  best,  it  is 
better,  and,  in  the  end  in  most  instances,  quicker,  to  bring 
the  dog  under  control  gradually.  Too  much  violence  and 
haste  before  the  dog  learns  the  purpose  or  application,  is 
commonly  the  cause  of  delay. 

Few  sportsmen  realize  the  dog's  natural  capacity  to  learn 
methods  of  pursuit  and  ability  to  solve  perplexing  combi- 
nations of  circumstances.  This  capability  of  improvement 
and  cunning  in  pursuit  is  common  to  all  breeds  of  hunting 
dogs.  The  foxhound,  when  experienced,  unravels  the  most 
complicated  puzzles  in  trailing,  which  the  fox,  with  his 
novel  and  wonderful  store  of  resources,  can  construct. 
The  foxhound  in  receiving  his  education  cannot  have,  from 


200  MODERN    TRAINING. 

the  nature  of  it,  much  assistance  from  his  master — probably 
to  his  advantage,  for,  if  it  were  possible  for  his  master  to 
meddle,  he  might  never  attain  such  perfection.  If  several 
foxhounds- are  run  in  company  regularly,  as  is  commonly 
the  case,  they  not  only  learn  to  do  their  utmost  in  the  chase, 
but  they  learn  to  take  special  parts  of  the  work  which  are 
mutually  advantageous  in  promoting  the  general  success. 
Also,  they  learn  each  other's  capabilities,  for  a  note  from  a 
leader,  which  they  know  by  experience  to  be  true,  will  in- 
stantly be  honored  with  due  attention.  Some  become  so 
cunning  as  to  cut  across  country  and  come  in  ahead  of  the 
chase,  others  drop  out  and  wait  in  a  favorable  place  for  the 
pack  to  drive  the  fox  back  by  them. 

Probably  no  one  peculiar  act  of  intelligence  is  so  com- 
monly known  as  that  of  running  cunning  exhibited  by  expe- 
rienced greyhounds.  When  two  inexperienced  greyhounds 
chase  a  jack  rabbit  for  the  first  time,  they  run  perfectly  true, 
each  exerting  his  utmost  hunting  powers  in  direct  chase. 
Generally,  if  a  greyhound  is  in  good  running  condition,  he 
is  a  shade  or  two  faster  than  the  jack  rabbit,  particularly  at 
the  start.  The  two  dogs,  in  a  straightaway  course,  will 
generally  press  the  rabbit  so  closely  that  it  is  forced  to  use 
defensive  tactics  peculiar  to  it,  namely,  owing  to  its  peculiar 
physical  formation,  it  can  stop  suddenly  while  going  at  tre- 
mendous speed,  dodging  to  the  right  or  left,  and  quickly 
starting  off  at  full  speed  again.  The  hounds  cannot  turn  so 
short,  owing  to  their  physical  construction,  although  some 
will  turn  in  a  wonderfully  short  space;  in  addition  thereto, 
their  much  greater  weight  and  consequent  momentum  works 
to  their  disadvantage  in  turning.  If  two  hounds  run 
together  a  few  times,  they  perceive  that  it  is  a  decided  dis- 
advantage and  frequent  cause  of  loss  to  be  both  thrown 
wide  at  the  turns.  They  then  learn  a  special  method  of 
directing  their  efforts  in  a  manner  which  is  easier,  more 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  2OI 

successful,  and  mutually  advantageous — one  hound  presses 
.the  rabbit  at  his  highest  speed  from  the  start,  the  other 
hound  running  comparatively  at  ease  several  yards  behind, 
with  ears  pricked  up,  and  keeping  a  very  critical  eye  on  the 
situation.  The  hound  which  is  forcing  the  running  soon 
turns  the  rabbit;  on  the  instant,  the  waiting  hound  cuts 
across  the  corner  and  in  turn  takes  up  the  running  and 
forces  the  pace;  the  other  hound,  has  been  thrown  a  little 
wide  on  the  turn,  but  in  the  general  effort  there  has  been  a 
positive  gain — one  hound  has  cut  across  the  corner,  is  nearer 
to  the  rabbit,  and  the  other  hound  is  running  cunning  in  a 
commanding  position  waiting  for  the  next  turn;  meanwhile 
the  rabbit  has  been  at  his  highest  speed.  This  is  contin- 
ually repeated  till  the  poor  rabbit,  bewildered  and  exhausted, 
turns  shorter,  slower  and  oftener,  only  to  find  that  the 
prairie  seems  to  be  full  of  hounds.  At  last,  with  a  hound 
playing  within  a  few  yards  of  it,  one  on  each  side,  a  cunning 
scheme  applied  near  the  end  of  the  chase  to  drive  it  to  cer- 
tain death  whichever  way  it  goes,  the  poor  rabbit  makes  a 
last  turn,  a  hound  springs  forward,  reaches  out  his  long 
neck  and  head  sidewise,  gives  a  sudden  twitch  at  the  flank, 
trips  the  rabbit,  and  before  it  can  regain  its  feet  it  is  in  the 
jaws  of  the  second  hound,  a  victim  to  misplaced  confidence 
in  the  power  of  matter  over  mind.  In  the  chase,  all  the  dif- 
ferent distances  are  gauged  and  the  mutual  play  timed  to  a 
nicety.  They  not  only  learn  a  finished  manner  of  running 
cunning,  but  they  learn  to  estimate  correctly  and  take  ad- 
vantage of  the  individual  capabilities  of  each  other.  For 
instance,  the  hound  which  is  running  cunning  will  rear  high 
in  front  at  proper  intervals,  without  losing  his  stride  or 
speed,  to  see  if  any  gain  is  being  made  on  the  rabbit.  If  he 
notes  that  his  companion  has  made  his  best  spurt  without 
being  able  to  turn  the  rabbit,  he  immediately  spurts  in  turn 
and  takes  up  the  running  himself. 


202  MODERN    TRAINING. 

The  setter  and  pointer,  from  the  peculiar  nature  of  their 
prey,  have  to  exercise  even  a  greater  degree  of  intelligence; 
yet  their  first  attempts,  from  inexperience,  are  very  awk- 
ward and  ineffective.  Two,  in  chasing  the  common  rabbits 
in  company,  learn  to  run  cunning  like  greyhounds;  but, 
after  a  short  experience,  the  dog  learns  that  his  nose  is  a 
useful  organ,  and  he  depends  on  it  more  and  more.  Dogs 
are  very  observing  and  imitative.  If  two  dogs,  one  old  and 
cunning,  the  other  inexperienced,  are  permitted  to  self-hunt 
together,  the  inexperienced  one  by  observation  alone  will 
soon  learn  all  the  cunning  dog's  tricks  and  their  application. 
In  the  case  of  a  timid  dog,  or  one  which  is  backward  from 
any  cause,  a  self-hunting  experience  with  an  aged  dog  is 
always  beneficial. 

The  whole  superiority  of  the  expert  handler,  aside  from 
his  skill  as  a  tutor,  lies  in  permitting  the  dog  to  develop  his 
powers  to  their  utmost  capabilities  in  a  natural  manner. 
Whether  this  preliminary  experience  requires  a  week  or  a 
month,  or  more,  it  ought  not  to  be  neglected. 

In  the  South  the  greater  number  of  trainers  hunt  from 
horseback.  As  a  rule,  dogs  range  wider  when  so  hunted 
than  when  the  trainer  is  afoot. 

Until  discipline  is  fairly  well  established,  two  untrained 
dogs  should  not  be  permitted  to  range  together.  The  bold- 
ness and  disobedience  of  one  encourages  like  traits  in  the 
other.  If  one  is  jealous  of  the  other,  or  follows  him  about, 
no  good  work  can  be  expected  under  such  circumstances. 

The  dog  should  be  required  to  work  on  the  right  or  left 
with  equal  impartiality  as  the  peculiarities  of  the  grounds 
require.  The  habit  of  ranging  entirely  on  the  right  or  left, 
to  the  exclusion  of  the  other  side,  is  very  undesirable,  and 
decreases  the  value  of  the  dog's  work. 

If  a  sportsman  wishes  to  work  a  brace  he  should  endeavor 
to  have  them  supplement  each  other  in  any  weak  parts  of 


BREAKING     AM)    HANDLING. 


203 


their  work;  for  instance,  if  one  is  good  on  coveys  the  other 
should  be  good  on  scattered  birds;  if  one  is  a  poor  re- 
triever, the  other  should  be  a  good  one;  if  one  is  excitable, 
the  other  should  be  level-headed,  etc.;  but  both  should  be 
as  good  as  possible  in  all  respects. 


14 


204  MODERN    TRAINING. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

ROADING    AND   DRAWING. 

Reading  is  the  act  of  following  the  trail  of  the  birds, 
with  more  or  less  quickness  by  the  foot  scent. 

Drawing  is  the  act  of  approaching  the  birds  by  the  body 
scent.  This  manner  of  determining  the  location  of  the  birds 
is  commonly  performed  with  much  greater  quickness  and 
precision  than  by  reading.  Dogs  which  can  draw  in  a  su- 
perior manner,  will  scent  birds  at  astonishingly  long  dis- 
tances under  favorable  conditions  of  wind  and  temperature. 
Sometimes  at  a  distance  of  several  hundred  yards  they  will 
draw  straight,  or  nearly  so,  to  a  bevy,  at  full  or  half  speed, 
with  nose  high  in  the  air.  There  are  dogs  which  perform 
poorly  after  this  manner  as  after  any  other  manner.  The 
brilliant  performers  are  not  common;  if  a  sportsman  has 
not  had  an  extensive  experience  with  many  fine  dogs  over 
a  large  territory,  he  may  have  hunted  during  a  long  life  with- 
out having  seen  one  which  performed  in  a  brilliant  manner. 

A  dog  which  locates  his  birds  by  the  body  scent,  prob- 
ably does  so  in  a  less  degree  than  is  commonly  supposed. 
Undoubtedly  he  has  the  power  of  recognizing  the  foot  scent 
and  discriminating  between  it  and  the  body  scent;  and  at 
times,  can  draw  to  large  bevies  by  the  body  scent  alone. 
The  writer  believes  that  a  dog  of  this  kind  is  not  guided 
alone  by  the  body  scent  in  the  greater  number  of  instances. 
It  is  more  reasonable  to  suppose  that  he  follows  the  aggre- 
gate scent  of  all  the  tracks  as  if  they  were  one  trail,  having 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  205 

thus  an  easy  course  which  enables  him  to  go  with  undimin- 
ished  speed  directly,  or  nearly  so,  to  the  birds.  Sometimes, 
instead  of  going  directly  to  the  birds,  he  takes  oblique  lines 
to  them,  his  course  then  being  slightly  zig  zag,  but  the  high 
nose  and  quick  execution  are  always  characteristic.  That 
the  dog  can  follow  the  foot  scent  with  a  high  nose  is  sus- 
tained by  the  analogous  manner  exhibited  by  foxhounds  when 
in  pursuit  of  their  prey.  Every  foxhunter  has  seen  the 
hound  run  at  high  speed  many  yards  from  the  true  trail,  yet 
following  the  course  with  accuracy  by  the  scent  in  the  air 
alone.  However,  it  is  unquestionably  true  that  a  dog  which 
performs  well  by  drawing  apparently  by  the  body  scent,  has 
very  sensitive  scenting  powers  and  can  detect  the  presence 
of  birds  a  long  distance  by  their  body  scent  alone  when  the 
wind  and  temperature  are  suitable,  as  may  be  observed  occa- 
sionally when  a  bevy  is  flushed,  marked  down,  and  the  dog 
cast  off  to  find  them,  there  being  then  no  trail  to  follow;  but 
the  phenomenal  long  draws  are  not  then  exhibited  unless 
the  dog  has  cunningly  marked  the  birds  down  by  sight, 
which  some  intelligent  dogs  will  readily  do;  and  the  novice 
may  mistakenly  think  the  dog  drew  by  scent  when  he  really 
drew  by  sight;  hence  it  is  more  reasonable  to  ascribe  the 
greater  number  of  phenomenal  performances  to  the  refine- 
ment of  skillful  reading,  than  to  the  powers  of  the  mar- 
velous, even  if  opposed  to  the  common  belief. 

Many  dogs  have  a  manner  of  locating  their  birds  which 
partakes  both  of  the  manner  of  reading  and  drawing.  They 
road  with  a  high  nose  but  follow  the  trail  by  feeling  for  the 
scent,  and  progress  with  more  or  less  speed;  generally  at  a 
trot.  When  near  enough  to  the  birds  to  catch  the  body 
scent,  they  abandon  the  foot  scent  and  draw  directly  to  them. 
A  skillful  performer  of  this  kind  is  an  excellent  dog^to  shoot 
over,  and  is  next  in  merit  to  one  that  skillfully  hunts  for  the 
body  scent  alone. 


206  MODERN    TRAINING. 

The  dog  which  follows  the  trail  slowly  but  accurately, 
picking  out  foot  scent  of  single  birds  of  the  bevy,  and  plod 
ding  after  them  methodically  by  sure  degrees,  may  afford 
good  shooting  notwithstanding  his  painful  slowness.  On 
single  birds  in  warm,  dry  weather  when  the  scent  is  poor, 
he  will  accurately  follow  a  single  bird,  the  trail  of  which 
would  be  imperceptible  to  the  dog  which  carried  a  high 
nose.  Still,  the  slowness  is  a  great  objection. 

The  most  imperfect  manner  of  reading  is  exhibited  by 
dogs  which  place  their  noses  to  the  ground,  sniffing  and 
pottering  in  an  area  of  a  few  square  yards.  Such  are 
wholly  unable  to  determine  the  course  of  a  bevy,  but  are 
usually  zealous  to  do  their  best.  Often  they  persist  in  snif- 
fing in  one  place  until  the  patience  of  the  handler  is  ex- 
hausted. Punishment  will  not  correctthe  fault.  Undoubt- 
edly the  dog's  manner  of  roading  is  governed  by  the  sen- 
sibility of  his  scenting  powers  and  intelligence,  -hence  he  is 
unable  to  exceed  his  capabilities. 

Another  very  annoying  and  worthless  manner  of  roading 
is  when  the  dog,  from  extreme  cautiousness,  drops  to  the 
ground  on  a  hot  scent  carefully  swinging  his  nose  right  and 
left,  close  to  the  ground  in  the  segment  of  a  circle,  sniffs 
the  scent  deliberately,  and  is  loth  to  move.  He  walks  or 
crawls  with  painful  slowness,  continually  repeating  the 
stopping  and  sniffing.  His  fault  may  be  due  to  natural 
over-cautiousness  or  to  excessive  punishment  for  flushing. 
Birds  in  rainy,  cloudy  or  windy  weather,  when  they  are  not 
disposed  to  seek  concealment,  will  run  completely  away 
from  dogs  of  this  kind.  The  dog  cannot  be  called  a  good 
performer  which  cannot,  at  least,  road  nearly  as  fast  as  the 
birds  can  run.  Slow  roading  may  be  successful  when  the 
birds  are  lazy  and  indifferent,  but  when  they  .become  wild 
or  restless  from  unpleasant  weather,  the  slow  roader  be- 
comes a  very  poor  performer. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  207 

Much  can  be  done  to  assist  a  dog  in  training  by  letting 
him  alone.  More  dogs  have  their  powers  injured  by  inter- 
minable meddling  and  punishing  than  from  any  other  cause. 
A  dog  which  roads  his  birds  quickly  and  accurately  should 
not  be  interfered  with  in  any  manner;  unless  he  abandons 
the  trail  or  runs  riot,  no  dog  should  be  interfered  with  in 
this  respect — then  the  order,  Steady,  may  be  given  merely 
to  compel  him  to  renew  his  efforts  in  a  systematic  pursuit,  but 
the  manner  is  his  own.  Throwing  him  on  his  own  resources 
develops  all  the  abilities  in  him;  he  improves  constantly  by 
experience,  consequently  is  able  to  do  more  and  better  work 
from  week  to  week;  on  the  other  hand,  if  constantly  har- 
assed and  balked,  he  may  become  excessively  cautious  or 
a  potterer,  or  both.  A  common  fault  with  sportsmen  and 
amateur  trainers  is  in  constantly  asserting  rigid  supervision. 
When  the  dog  is  reading,  he  should  not  be  checked  and  or- 
dered here  and  there,  even  if  there  are  a  dozen  places  close 
by  which  are  crowded  with  birds — in  the  imagination  of  the 
handler.  The  dog's  nose  and  judgment  in  finding  and  lo- 
cating the  birds  are  always  much  .better  to  depend  upon 
than  the  handler's  intuitions,  yet  it  sometimes  requires  sev- 
eral seasons  for  him  to  learn  this  simple  fact. 

A  dog  which  excels  in  an  infetior  method  of  reading  is 
better  than  one  which  performs  poorly  after  a  good  method; 
thus  a  dog  which  roads  his  birds  accurately  and  fairly  fast 
by  foot  scent  is  incomparably  superior  to  one  which  carries 
a  high  nose,  works  for  the  body  scent  and  makes  a  succession 
of  blunders.  The  manner  is  excellent  if  the  dog  has  the 
functional  powers  to  execute  it,  but  if  incapable  he  will 
make  wretched  blunders.  The  best  dogs  will  occasionally 
waver  or  hesitate  when  puzzled  or  foiled,  but  the  dog, 
which  does  so  habitually  is  naturally  inferior  or  has  been 
badly  trained. 

If  the  handler  positively   knows  that  the  dog  has  made 


208  MODERN    TRAINING. 

one  error  in  reading  which  he  is  unable  to  correct,  he  should 
under  such  circumstances  give  him  the  necessary  assistance; 
for  instance,  if  the  birds  have  run  straight  down  wind  and 
the  dog,  mistaking  the  course,  roads  up  wind,  which  even 
aged  clogs  will  sometimes  do,  the  handler  can  give  him  a 
cast  down  wind  and  around  the  birds,  thus  correcting  the 
error;  but  it  should  be  a  fixed  rule  to  let  the  dog  learn  all 
that  is  possible  from  his  own  unassisted  efforts. 

If  a  dog  is  too  slow  in  reading,  yet  has  good  nose  and 
judgment,  he  may  be  kindly  encouraged  to  go  faster,  pro- 
vided that  he  is  trustworthy  in  pointing,  in  respect  to  which 
the  trainer  must  observe  due  discrimination.  At  all  events, 
special  pains  should  betaken  to  guard  against  pottering,  ex- 
treme cautiousness  and  irresolution,  even  if  the  dog  has 
to  be  encouraged  to  flush  and  chase — such  qualities  greatly 
impair  a  dog's  value,  or  render  him  worthless,  according  to 
the  degree  of  intensity.  The  whip  is  wholly  useless  to  make 
a  slow  dog  fast,  although  it  is  very  effective  to  make  the 
fast  dog  go  slow.  A  dog  which  naturally  hunts  with  a  low 
nose  and  potters  will  rarely  be  above  ordinary  merit  at 
best.  The  whip  aggravates  the  evil,  it  having  the  effect  of 
making  him  desist  from  all  attempts  at  reading,  he  constru- 
ing it  as  a  punishment  for  noticing  the  scent  at  all. 

The  puzzle  peg  has  been  more  or  less  warmly  recom- 
mended by  some  writers  as  a  cure  for  a  low  nose,  pottering, 
etc.,  they  attributing  all  the  faults  to  the  manner  and  not  to 
the  dog's  inability — inferring  that  if  one  dog  performs  well 
with  a  high  nose,  all  dogs  must  do  so,  as  illogical  as  to 
assume  that  if  one  dog  can  run  all  day  in  a  certain  manner, 
all  dogs  could  do  likewise.  Theoretically,  it  is  a  very  plaus- 
ible method  for  forcing  a  dog  to  carry  a  high  nose,  thereby 
preventing  pottering,  etc.;  but  practically,  it  is  a  barbarity, 
and  worthless.  Inasmuch  as  it  is  never  used  by  expert  trainers 
and  is  wholly  inefficient,  besides  being  wantonly  cruel,  it  is 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  209 

no  part  of  dog  training,  and  will  not  be  described.  Even 
when  used,  many  dogs  cannot  road  if  forced  to  carry  a 
high  head,  and  they  suffer  many  cruel  falls  from  it.  When 
the  peg  is  removed,  the  dog  immediately  assumes  his  old 
style  and  habits,  and  as  such  are  natural  to  him,  they  are 
the  best  which  he  has. 

In  giving  the  puppy  the  necessary  experience  in  reading, 
it  is  better  to  work  him  alone  if  he  is  in  training  for  regu- 
lar shooting,  in  this  respect  not  differing  in  principle  from 
that  of  training  in  the  other  main  branches.  If  two  pup- 
pies are  worked  together,  there  is  always  a  keen  jealousy  in 
roading,  which  is  sure  to  cause  a  riotous  flush  or  chase,  or 
both.  Even  aged,  experienced  dogs  are  not  reliable  always 
under  such  circumstances,  if  in  company  with  strange  dogs. 
However,  after  the  training  reaches  a  stage  at  which  the 
puppy  is  fairly  reliable,  he  may  be  greatly  benefited  by  ex- 
perience with  an  honest,  obedient  clog.  If  he  has  had  per- 
fect liberty  in  chasing  and  hunting,  as  recommended  in 
the  preparatory  field  work,  he  in  most  instances  has  learned 
how  to  road  quickly  and  accurately;  he  only  needs  training 
with  a  view  to  making  him  steady  to  his  points,  it  being  self- 
evident  that  the  roading  cannot  be  done  too  quickly  if  the 
dog  can  locate  his  birds  and  point  correctly.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  he  has  been  constantly  suppressed  and  completely 
subjugated,  and  therefore  is  without  any  knowledge  of 
methods  or  possession  of  self-reliance,  he  learns  but  slowly 
and  imperfectly,  his  handler  holding  all  his  attention  and 
thus  being  a  discouragement  instead  of  an  assistance. 


MODERN    TRAINING. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

I3ACKING. 

Backing,  backsetting  or  backstanding,  synonymous  terms, 
is  the  act  of  stopping  and  standing  performed  by  one  dog 
when  he  sees  another  dog  point,  the  attitude  assumed  by 
the  backing  dog  being  generally  much  the  same  as  that  which 
he  assumes  when  pointing;  yet  in  most  instances  the  back 
is  less  rigid  than  the  point.  Many  individuals,,  however, 
which  point  well,  back  in  a  spiritless  manner;  and  there  are 
occasional  ones  which  will  not  back  at  all;  others,  which  can- 
not point  well,  back  in  a  satisfactory  manner. 

Backing,  the  writer  believes,  and  has  long  maintained,  is 
a  purely  intelligent  act,  one  in  no  wise  instinctive.  This 
opinion  differs  from  that  of  some  excellent  sportsmen  who 
hold  that  the  act  is  instinctive  inasmuch  as  it  resembles  point- 
ing, and  puppies  will  back  at  a  very  early  age;  in  fact,  they 
hold  that  the  puppy  may  back  the  very  first  time  he  sees  a 
dog  on  a  point,  when  taken  afield.  This  is  an  extremely 
superficial  view  of  the  case,  and  also  too  great  an  assump- 
tion of  what  constitutes  an  instinct,  as  will  be  shown  here- 
inafter; remarking,  however,  that  it  is  doubtful  whether  the 
act  of  pointing  itself  is  purely  instinctive.  The  writer  has 
never  seen  an  intelligent  dog  which  backed  without  any  ex- 
perience previous  to  his  first  back,  although  he  has  seen  a 
few  which  backed  in  the  first  time  they  were  taken  afield; 
but  such  had  invariably  run  at  large  with  other  puppies  and 
had  learned  to  back  them,  while  hunting  birds,  without  any 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  211 

training;  but  such  cases  are  extremely  rare.  Even  in  point- 
ing, the  dog  usually  needs  several  opportunities  before  he 
will  point,  and  several  more  before  he  can  do  it  intelligently. 
Those  who  have  watched  puppies  at  play  in  the  fields  must 
have  noticed  that  backing  gradually  developed  with  expe- 
perience.  The  puppies  gallop  about,  stopping  to  a  point 
betimes  on  little  birds.  At  first  they  point  and  chase  to- 
gether, then  by  degrees  they  learn  to  point  or  back  alter- 
nately with  more  or  less  steadiness.  The  common  expta- 
nation  is  that  what  was  a  matter  of  education'  through  many 
generations  in  the  past  became  fixed  in  the  dog's  nature, 
and  became  an  instinct.  There  is  no  proof  whatever  that 
it  was  regularly  a  matter  of  education,  nevertheless,  that 
does  not  for  a  moment  detract  from  the  positiveness  and 
assurance  of  the  assertion.  In  the  chapter  on  instinct,  in 
the  Origin  of  Species,  Darwin  remarks  :  "  Domestic  instincts 
are  sometimes  spoken  of  as  actions  which  have  become  inher- 
ited solely  from  long  continued  and  compulsory  habit;  but 
this  is  not  true." 

Matters  which  are  purely  educational,  and  which  are  to 
subserve  the  purposes  of  man,  do  not  become  instinctive 
however  long  repeated,  as  may  be  observed  in  the  case 
of  the  horse  which  has  been  uniformly  educated,  gen- 
eration after  generation  for  centuries,  either  to  the  har- 
ness or  saddle,  or  both;  yet  he  is  not  apparently  benefited 
thereby,  so  far  as  educational  instinct  is  concerned.  Un- 
doubtedly, education  improves  the  intelligence  of  the  ani- 
mal; but  in  respect  to  the  dog,  the  field  education  is  trifling 
compared  to  that  which  man  unconsciously  gives  by  asso- 
ciation to  each  individual  under  domestication  every  day  in 
succession,  therefore  it  is  more  reasonable  to  suppose  that 
all  knowledge  appertaining  to  domestication  would  become 
instinctive  sooner  than  a  few  details  of  field  work.  It  also 
is  astonishing  that  if  backing,  by  education  through  a  long 


212  MODERN    TRAINING. 

series  of  generations,  became  instinctive,  the  other  educa- 
tional qualities,  most  of  which  were  more  uniformly  and 
thoroughly  taught  and  practiced,  did  not  at  the  same  time 
and  in  like  manner  become  instinctive.  If  backing  were 
uniformly  taught  there  would  be  more  show  of  reason  in 
the  theory  of  instinct,  but  outside  of  the  dogs  trained  by 
experts,  backing  is  not  generally  taught.  A  multitude  of 
shooters  own  but  one  dog,  and  hence  cannot  train  the  dog 
to  back.  Many,  who  own  more  than  one,  cannot  enforce 
backing  or  do  not  attempt  it;  and  such  has  been  the  case 
for  many  generations.  Thus  a  large  percentage  were  never 
educated  to  it,  or  never  had  the  opportunity;  hence  it  would 
be  impossible  for  the  so-called  instinct  to  be  so  uniformly 
present  in  a  race,  by  education,  when  but  an  exceedingly 
small  percentage  of  the  race  was  taught  it.  All  sportsmen 
know  that  it  is  not  present  as  uniformly  in  setters  as  the  in- 
stinct to  point;  in  fact,  it  is  very  irregular  in  all  its  proper- 
ties. If  it  were  an  instinct,  it  would  be  more  likely  to  be 
obliterated  by  disuse  than  to  be  originated  and  perpetuated 
by  education.  Nevertheless  this  is  all  by  the  way,  for  it  has 
very  little  relation  to  the  true  nature  of  instinct.  It  is 
well  known  to  scientists  that  a  true  instinct  is  for  the  self- 
preservation  of  the  individual  or  the  perpetuation  of  the 
species.  The  instincts  of  birds  to  build  their  nests,  sit  on 
their  eggs,  migrate,  etc.,  are  true  instincts.  The  bird  will 
build  the  first  nest  without  any  experience,  quite  as  well  as 
the  last.  The  young  of  mammalia  nurse  instinctively.  A 
m-ultitude  of  other  instances  could  be  enumerated,  but  they 
would  all  show  that  instincts  were  strictly  for  the  benefit  of 
the  individual  in  gaining  a  food  supply  or  other  acts  of  self- 
preservation,  as  in  fleeing  from  danger,  etc.;  or  in  the  pres- 
ervation of  the  species.  Hence  it  is  extremely  unreason- 
able to  suppose  that  since  animals  do  not  acquire  an  instinct 
for  the  benefit  of  other  animals,  the  dog  would  acquire  an 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  213 

instinct  which  he  could  exercise  very  irregularly  at  the  best, 
and  in  many  instances  not  at  all,  for  the  benefit  of  a  man 
who  carries  a  gun;  an  instinct  separate  and  distinct  from 
any  individual  profit  to  himself,  but  solely  devoted  to  not 
interfering  with  his  master's  sport. 

It  is  equally  absurd  to  assume  that  a  trait  so  common, 
though  irregularly  developed  under  the  artificial  restraint 
of  training,  is  meaningless.  It  cannot  have  its  origin  in 
transmitted  habits  under  domestication,  since  it  is  not  use- 
ful in  that  state;  it  could  not  originate  as  an  instinct  by  edu- 
cation, since  the  latter  is  too  fragmentary  and  is  practiced 
during  a  comparatively  brief  period  of  the  educated  dog's 
life,  and  therefore  could  not  affect  the  progeny;  it  is  quite  as 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  a  man  would  instinctively  know 
the  meaning  of  a  language  because  his  ancestors  had,  dur- 
ing many  successive  generations,  been  educated  in  it. 
In  fact,  the  theory  that  it  is  an  instinct,  resulting  from  edu- 
cation, offers  a  multitude  of  inconsistencies,  conjectures  and 
insurmountable  obstructions. 

By  assuming  that  it  is  an  intelligent  act,  all  these  difficul- 
ties disappear.  There  are  many  different  phases  which 
prove  that  it  is  the  result  of  understanding.  It  should  be 
borne  in  mind  that  birds  are  but  a  part  of  the  dog's  nat- 
ural prey,  an  important  fact  in  explaining  his  mode  of  pur- 
suit. It  should  also  be  noted  that  a  dog  can  change  his 
methods  more  or  less  to  make  his  pursuit  of  game  more 
successful.  Thus  the  method  of  pursuing  a  rabbit  is  differ- 
ent from  that  with  respect  to  birds.  A  litter  of  half-grown 
puppies  when  following  and  pointing  tame  chickens  about 
the  yard  show  the  purposes  of  the  act.  After  a  little  expe- 
rience, when  one  points,  the  others  will  stop  and  wait,  and 
as  the  chicken  runs  to  one  side  or  the  other,  the  backing 
puppies  cut  across  the  corner  and  cut  the  chicken  off,  thus 
acting  jointly  with  greater  success.  This  act  may  appear 


214  MODERN    TRAINING. 

amusing,  but  the  puppies  are  serious,  and  have  an  intelligent 
purpose;  if  left  to  themselves,  they  will  kill  the  chicken. 
The  act  partakes  in  character  of  the  "running cunning"  of 
greyhounds,  and  adds  to  the  chances  of  capture.  Without 
doubt,  in  hunting  rabbits,  which  are  also  the  natural  prey  of 
pointers  and  setters,  the  manner  of  approaching  and  pur- 
suing is  as  successful  to  them  as  analogous  methods  are  to 
the  greyhounds.  They  quickly  learn  that  certain  acts  and 
indications,  as  drawing,  half-pointing  and  feathering,  de- 
note that  game  is  present;  and  they  learn  by  a  little  expe- 
rience that,  by  co-operation  in  the  pursuit,  they  are  more 
successful,  as  is  also  well  established  by  the  methods 
adopted  by.  foxhounds  and  greyhounds.  Thus  by  noting 
the  purposes  of  the  dog's  acts  when  he  applies  them  to  his 
own  purposes,  their  real  use  is  known;  at  least  it  ismore  rea- 
sonable to  so  interpret  them  than  as  being  for  the  use  of 
man  after  forcing  them  to  subserviency. 

There  are  variations  of  the  act  which  are  purely  and  ad- 
mittedly due  to  experience,  namely,  backing  the  gun,  an 
act  more  frequently  observed  in  wild  fowl  shooting  by  re- 
trievers. The  dog  observes  that  certain  cautious  acts  of 
the  shooter  signify  the  proximity  of  game,  and  thereupon 
follows  at  a  safe  distance,  drawing  and  backing.  A  varia- 
tion of  the  same  act,  due  to  the  memory  of  the  use  of  the 
gun  and  a  knowledge  of  its  purposes,  is  exhibited  by  some 
setters  and  pointers;  if  the  gun  is  placed  to  the  shoulder, 
they  will  back  instantly;  a  few  will  back  if  the  gun  is  held 
in  the  hand  in  a  position  as  if  ready  to  shoot.  This  trait 
was  utilized  at  field  trials  occasionally  on  marked  birds  till 
the  judges  became  too  thoroughly  informed,  and  trickery  in 
a  great  measure  became  obsolete;  however,  it  is  only  just  to 
remark  that  trickery  was  confined  to  the  few. 

That  both  pointing  and  backing  may  be  exhibited  as  an 
act  of  intelligence  is  established  by  many  well  attested 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  215 

cases,  and  is  mentioned  by  several  authors.  In  youthful 
years  the  author  had  a  terrier,  which  was  an  excellent 
squirrel  dog,  and  which,  from  his  own  intelligence,  learned 
to  back  the  gun.  As  further  showing  what  a  dog  can  learn 
in  the  way  of  correct  methods  from  his  own  powers  of  ob- 
servation, an  intelligent  act  of  this  terrier  will  be  described: 
He,  by  seeing  an  occasional  ruffed  grouse  shot  during  the 
squirrel  hunts,  learned  that  they  were  also  objects  of  pur- 
suit. From  learning  to  recognize  the  scent,  he  gradually 
improved  so  that  he  would  follow  the  foot  scent  slowly  and 
truly,  stopping  on  a  point  in  a  manner  that  would  not  be 
discreditable  to  an  average  pointer  or  setter.  He  had  all 
the  characteristics  of  a  small,  pure  bull  terrier  in  size,  form, 
pluck  and  general  habits,  therefore  nothing  could  be  attrib- 
uted to  inheritance  from  a  chance  setter  or  pointer  cross. 
On  the  trail  of  a  ruffed  grouse,  he  was  cautious,  silent  and 
attentive,  which  was  entirely  opposed  to  his  manner  of 
hunting  squirrels,  yet  he  learned  both  methods  from  his  own 
experience.  Here  were  precisely  the  same  acts,  exhibited 
by  a  bull  terrier,  which  are  commonly  attributed  to  instinct 
in  the  pointer  and  setter,  and  which  were  performed  as  -a 
matter  of  pure  intelligence. 

At  all  events,  the  amateur  who  expects  to  find  that  back- 
ing is  a  regularly  developed  instinct,  or  that  the  puppy  will 
back  within  the  first  time  he  sees  a  dog  point,  is  elaborately 
preparing  numerous  disappointments  for  himself. 

Usually  there  is  no  disposition  to  back  manifested  until  a 
longer  or  shorter  time  after  the  dog  has  learned  the  mean- 
ing of  a  point,  which,  by  the  way,  is  very  quickly.  He  may 
learn  then  in  four  or  five  opportunities,  or  four  or  five 
months  of  opportunities,  the  uses  of  aback;  this  being  de- 
pendent upon  his  powers  of  observation,  freedom  from  jeal- 
ousy, and  the  skill  of  his  handler;  for  the  dog  can  be  ma- 


2l6  MODERN    TRAINING. 

terially  assisted  by  education  in  perfecting  this  so-called 
instinct. 

In  teaching  dogs  to  back,  many  different  phases  of  char- 
acter will  be  exhibited — some  individuals  have  an  intense 
desire  to  take  the  point  from  another  dog;  others  never  ob- 
serve any  advantages  in  backing,  being  incapable  of  solving 
complex  details  of  hunting;  others  again  know  its  pur- 
poses fully,  but  do  not  care  to  observe  it — such  may  back 
when  the  trainer  is  in  sight  and  steal  the  point  at  other  times; 
others  will  back  at  the  first  sign  of  game  made  by  the  other 
dog  even  if  the  latter  is  roading,  and  some  are  unreliable, 
and  a  few  cannot  be  taught  at  all;  the  latter  can  be  taught 
to  drop  or  stop  to  a  pointing  dog.  However,  the  greater 
number  of  setters  and  pointers  can  be  taught  to  back  with 
a  fair  degree  of  uniformity,  but  there  is  absolutely  no  uni- 
formity in  the  length  of  time  required  to  teach  it. 

When  the  trainer  is  first  attempting  to  teach  the  accom- 
plishment, he  should  not,  under  any  circumstances,  work 
the  dog  with  one  which  is  a  false  pointer.  Even  if  an  aged 
dog,  which  will  back  honestly  and  well,  is  hunted  with  a 
false  pointer,  after  backing  two  or  three  false  points,  he  will 
thereafter  entirely  ignore  the  other's  points,  learning  by  ex- 
perience that  they  are  erroneous  and  meaningless — thus 
showing  that  if  backing  is  an  instinct,  it  is  a  very  intelligent 
one.  With  trained,  experienced  dogs,  a  false  pointing 
companion  is  not  of  any  importance  except  for  the  time 
being,  their  judgment  being  so  good  that  they  learn  what 
dogs  to  back  and  what  not  to  back,  according  to  the  point- 
ing dog's  reliability.  It  might  be  shown  here  by  innumera- 
ble citations  that  instincts  do  not  improve  by  the  experience 
of  the  individual  having  them,  and  that  there  is  a  close  de- 
gree of  uniformity  in  their  exercise  by  each  individual  of  a 
breed — one  bird  of  a  species  builds  its  nest  similar  to  those 
of  every  other  bird  of  that  species;  all  birds  of  a  species 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  217 

migrate  about  the  same  time  to  the  same  latitude;  bees  con- 
struct their  honeycomb  of  the  same  material  and  in  the 
same  shape,  and  all  without  knowing  for  what  purpose  these 
acts  were  performed.  It  might  be  shown  that  intelligent 
acts  performed  by  one  individual  differed  greatly  from  those 
performed  by  other  individuals,  being  quite  as  variable  as 
the  intelligence  of  the  individuals;  but  the  subject  is  too 
voluminous  to  dwell  on  at  length.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the 
dog  comprehends  the  purposes  of  backing  since  he  distin- 
guishes between  a  reliable  dog  and  an  unreliable  one;  that 
he  improves  in  the  application  by  experience;  that  the  act 
varies  greatly  in  different  individuals;  that  opportunities  are 
necessary  to  learn  it;  that  it  varies  a  great  deal  in  different 
dogs  according  to  their  inclination  or  intelligence;  that  it  is 
serviceable  to  him  in  a  wild  state,  and  that  therefore  it  is 
not  an  instinct  implanted  to  oblige  some  man  with  a  dog 
and  a  gun. 

Nevertheless,  if  the  amateur  has  a  veneration  for  tradition 
and  honored  beliefs,  and  hence  believes  it  instinctive,  it  will 
not  adversely  affect  the  training  if  he  follows  the  directions 
hereinafter  given. 

If  the  young  dogs  are  worked  together  before  a  certain 
degree  of  discipline  is  established,  they  will  probably  be 
more  or  less  unmanageable  in  all  branches,  although,  singly, 
they  may  be  good  workers.  It  is  very  beneficial  to  have 
the  puppy  prepared  to  such  a  degree  that  he  will  work  with 
regularity  and  is  under  fair  control,  before  working  him  in 
company;  with  a  timid  dog  this  is  indispensable.  Besides 
being  under  better  control, he  then  has  a  better  comprehen- 
sion of  details.  As  before  remarked,  the  first  lessons  should 
be  with  a  dog  which  is  not  given  to  false  pointing.  If  the 
dog  cannot  observe  some  desirable  results  from  the  act  of 
pointing,  it  is  meaningless  to  him. 

When  the   dog   is  pointing,  the  handler  should   call  the 


2l8  MODERN    TRAINING. 

puppy  to  an  advantageous  position  to  see  the  point;  a  few 
opportunities  should  be  given. him  to  learn  the  meaning  of 
it.  The  first  acts  of  the  puppy  are  generally  devoted  to 
attempts  to  steal  the  point.  These  should  be  checked  as 
much  as  possible  without  injuring  his  ardor.  When  he  at- 
tempts it  persistently,  he  may  be  dropped  to  command  on 
signal;  if  he  will  not  obey  them  with  a  fair  degree  of  cer- 
tainty, he  is  not  properly  prepared.  If  he  is  inattentive 
from  his  own  experience,  a  mild  process  of  compulsory 
training  may  be  begun.  Put  a  light  checkcord  on  him. 
Expert  trainers  seldom  use  a  checkcord  in  this  branch,  it 
generally  being  superfluous.  When  the  dog  points,  the 
puppy  should  be  kept  to  the  rear,  and  the  manner  of  the 
handler  should  be  extravagantly  cautious  and  deliberate, 
while  walking  forward  slowly  to  flush.  The  puppy  is  eagerly 
observant  of  the  extraordinary  care  and  caution,  and  at 
the  same  time  is  greatly  impressed  by  it;  indeed,  he  may 
unconsciously  imitate  the  cautious  movements  of  his  hand- 
ler. When  the  birds  are  flushed  and  a  kill  follows,  the 
puppy  has  observed  what  the  point,  caution  and  accessory 
details  resulted  in,  and  the  next  time,  or  few  times  there- 
after, may  stop  to  watch  it  of  his  own  volition,  which  is  a 
back,  or  the  inception  of  one.  If,  when  the  handler  walks 
forward  to  flush,  the  puppy  leaves  his  place  either  with  the 
intention  of  following  his  handler  or  stealing  the  point,  the 
handler  should  return  and  place  him  in  the  exact  spot  which 
he  left.  If  he  will  stand  with  any  steadiness,  looking  curi- 
ously on  at  the  proceedings,  do  not  disturb  him,  for  such  is 
a  very  good  incipient  back.  By  repeating  these  lessons 
with  a  grave  demeanor  and  great  caution,  the  puppy  by  imi- 
tation and  observation  will  assume  similarly  precautionary 
measures.  It  has  been  noted  hereinbefore  that  the  puppy 
is  very  imitative.  This  maybe  observed  if  the  shooter  while 
walking  assumes  an  air  of  great  caution  and  expectation  in 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  219 

his  movements;  the  puppy  is  immediately  impressed  by  it, 
although  the  act  should  not  be  practiced  as  a  deception. 

With  the  average  dog,  this  treatment  will  be  sufficient  to 
establish  backing  if  the  dog  is  afforded  sufficient  opportu- 
nity. Yet  a  few  dogs  will  be  found  which  are  very  back- 
ward, and  the  lessons  may  not  have  any  visible  effect  in  pro- 
moting the  purpose;  nevertheless,  the  lessons  must  be  con- 
tinued precisely  the  same  as  if  each  one  was  the  last,  and 
would  effect  the  purpose.  Other  little  arts  may  be  intro- 
duced. When  a  combination  of  circumstances  combine  to 
favor  it,  the  puppy  may  come  running  in  while  the  dog  is 
pointing.  He  then  should  not  be  interfered  with  in  any 
manner.  To  caution  him  is  sure  to  defeat  the  purpose.  If 
he  does  not  see  the  pointing  dog  until  he  is  close  on  him,  so 
much  the  better.  When  he  does  see  him,  his  surprise  is  so 
great  and  his  caution,  from  a  comprehension  of  the  purpose 
of  the  act,  is  so  stimulated,  that  he  may  stop  instantly  and 
back  with  great  perfection.  He  may  hold  it  with  steadiness 
or  break  it  in  a  few  seconds;  but  once  done,  it  is  easy  to  es- 
tablish steadiness  by  repetition.  This  is  the  usual  manner 
in  which  many  dashing,  high-spirited  puppies  make  their 
first  back;  those  which  are  backward  in  their  lessons  also 
frequently  learn  in  this  manner. 

There  are  individuals  which,  notwithstanding  a  full  com- 
prehension of  the  act  of  pointing,  will  ignore  all  method 
from  their  intense  jealousy  or  desire  to  get  to  the  birds. 
With  such  dogs  the  whip  is  beneficial.  If  the  dog  presses 
forward  when  he  ought  to  remain  on  a  back,  whip  him.  The 
same  results  are  effected  by  fear  of  pain  that  should  have 
resulted  from  experience.  This  method  requires  discretion 
in  its  application.  Just  sufficient  to  effect  the  purpose  is  all 
that  is  necessary 

The  dog  which  has  no  perception  or  interest  in  respect  to 
backing  can  be  taught  to  drop  when  he  sees  a  dog  on  point. 
15 


220  MODERN    TRAINING. 

When  it  is  observed  that  he  sees  the  dog  on  point,  drop 
him  on  the  instant.  By  continually  repeating  this  with  op- 
portunity, giving  him  a  cut  of  the  whip  on  the  shoulder 
when  circumstances  are  favorable  to  back,  he  will  event- 
ually learn  to  drop  at  sight  of  a  dog  pointing,  the  act  hav- 
ing the  same  effect  as  a  signal  of  the  hand.  However,  if 
he  is  cranky,  excessively  timid,  sour  or  sulky  when  crossed, 
and  will  not  show  indications  to  back,  it  is  better,  if  he  will 
work  well  as  a  single  dog,  to  leave  backing  out  of  his  educa- 
tion entirely.  Instead  of  making  him  a  reliable  backer,  he 
may  be  rendered  worthless  in  other  more  important  branches. 
At  all  events  he  can  be  taught  to  drop  promptly  to  order  or 
signal,  which  in  most  cases  answers  all  the  practical  pur- 
poses of  backing,  i.  e.;  to  keep  one  dog  from  interfering 
with  another  when  pointing. 

A  dog  which  is  used  to  train  puppies  with,  besides  being 
reliably  true  in  his  points,  should  have  a  cool  judgment  so 
that  he  will  not  get  excited;  and  honesty,  so  that  he  will  not 
take  any  mean  advantages  when  his  handler  is  busy.  Cer- 
tain "individual  dogs,  if  there  are  any  unusual  occurrences 
such  as  whipping,  loud  orders,  etc.,  applied  to  another  dog, 
will  abandon  the  point,  or  press  forward  to  a  flush.  Old 
dogs  which  are  accustomed  to  seeing  puppies  trained  learn 
to  comprehend  the  situation  perfectly,  and  will  hold  the 
point  regardless  of  any  orders  or  punishment  the  puppy 
may  receive;  yet  they  are  perfectly  obedient  if  they  observe 
that  the  orders  are  directed  to  themselves 

After  more  or  less  effort,  with  very  rare  exceptions,  all 
dogs  can  be  taught  to  back,  but  there  will  be  very  irregular 
degrees  of  proficiency  in  the  results.  With  a  few,  as  in 
pointing,  the  act  can  be  intensified  to  an  injurious  excess. 
Dogs  of  deferential  disposition  will  watch  a  self-confident 
dog  with  close  attention,  particularly  if  he  is  a  skillful  finder, 
and  the  moment  he  shows  signs  of  game  by  roading  or 


BREAKING    AND     HANDLING.  221 

drawing,  they  back  rigidly,  and  it  is  difficult  to  move  them. 
After  such  dogs  become  fatigued,  they  devote  their  entire 
attention  to  the  finding  dog  and  back  from  a  combined  de- 
sire to  see  the  dog  point  and  stand  still  to  rest.  A  dog 
which  backs  prematurely  in  this  manner  causes  a  great  deal 
of  annoyance  or  lowers  the  standard  of  the  work  when 
hunting  with  a  dog  which  backs  honestly  and  accurately. 
If  the  latter  roads  or  shows  the  slightest  indication  of  find- 
ing, he-  is  instantly  backed;  then  he  catches  sight  of  the 
backing  dog,  infers  that  it  is  a  point,  then  backs  in  turn — 
thus  they  stand  backing  each  other.  After  being  sent  on, 
the  act  may  be  repeated  again  and  again  with  more  or  less 
frequency,  much  to  the  disgust  of  the  hunter  and  prejudice 
to  the  sport.  After  awhile,  the  more  sensible  dog  learns 
that  there  is  no  accuracy  in  his  companion's  work,  thereupon 
he  probably  refuses  to  back  him  at  all  times.  If  he  is  of  an 
impatient  disposition,  such  experience  may  make  him  dis- 
trustful in  his  work  with  other  dogs.  Two  experienced 
dogs,  which  work  correctly,  rarely  back  each  other.  Point- 
ers are  more  predisposed  to  this  fault  than  setters. 

If  a  trained  dog  should  at  any  time  become'  unsteady  on 
his  backs,  he  should  be  whipped  in  precisely  the  same  man- 
ner as  for  any  other  willfully  faulty  performance.  However, 
if  the  slightest  unsteadiness  is  corrected  at  its  beginning, 
there  will  be  comparatively  little  trouble.  By  neglecting 
little  faults,  the  greater  ones  ensue,  and  the  training  is  then 
irregular  and  less  skillful. 


MODERN    TRAINING. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

QUARTERING. 

Quartering  is  simply  ranging  in  an  artificial  manner.  It 
is  obsolete  in  this  country.  The  different  field  trial  associa- 
tions recognize  it  to  the  extent  of  giving  it  small  value  in 
the  scale  of  points,  but  in  practice  it  is  not  considered. 
The  writer  has  seen  braces,  in  their  heats  at  field  trials  a  few 
years  ago,  taken  into  the  open,  after  their  finding  qualities 
had  been  determined  by  the  dogs  ranging  as  they  pleased, 
to  test  their  quartering.  If  it  had  advantages,  it  would  be 
diligently  cultivated  at  all  times. 

In  England  it  is  said  to  be  a  very  useful  accomplishment, 
the  fields,  cover  and  habits  of  the  birds  favoring  this  formal 
manner  of  ranging.  In  this  country  it  is  wholly  unneces- 
sary in  any  section,  and  a  downright  injury  to  quail  shooting. 
However,  there  are  a  few  who  still  believe  in  its  advantages 
for  all  kinds  of  shooting  and  all  kinds  of  sections. 

No  attempt  should  be  made  to  teach  it  until  the  dog  has 
learned  to  take  d.elight  in  hunting,  and  has  established  dash 
and  range.  If  he  is  tied  down  to  formalities  in  his  ranging 
from  the  start,  his  enterprise  is  checked,  he  has  no  oppor- 
tunities to  independently  exercise  his  judgment,  or  get  the 
experience  which  he  should  have. 

Before  the  trainer  begins  the  lessons  in  quartering,  it  is 
necessary  to  give  the  puppy  at  least  a  fair  comprehension 
of  the  signal  of  the  hand  waved  to  the  right  or  left,  and  the 
note  of  the  whistle  which  signifies  attention.  Such  prepar- 


BREAKING    AND     HANDLING.  223 

atory  training  is  necessary  to  have  some  control  over  him; 
to  turn  him  at  the  ends  of  his  casts,  to  send  him  in  the 
direction  desired.  It  is  absolutely  essential  that  the  dog  be 
worked  across  and  up  wind.  The  wind  acts  as  a  guide  to 
the  dog,  and  quartering,  contrary  to  the  common  belief,  can 
only  be  practiced  when  the  handler  walks  up  wind.  Under 
such  circumstances,  the  dog  can  take  his  casts  to  and  fro 
with  the  nicest  precision.  Any  attempt  to  enforce  the 
method  when  the  handler  is  walking  down  wind  is  merely 
sacrificing  the  hunting  for  the  sake  of  a  useless  formality. 
At  the  end  of  his  casts  the  dog  is  disposed  to  turn  up  wind, 
hence  when  the  handler  is  walking  down  wind  the  dog  is 
repeatedly  turning  in  the  wrong  direction,  thus  entirely  dis- 
arranging his  quartering.  If  the  handler  directs  his  course 
across  wind  the  matter  is  still  worse,  as  the  dog  must  then 
range  directly  up  and  down  wind  to  preserve  the  formality. 

Theoretically,  quartering  is  when  a  dog  takes  his  casts  at 
right  angles  to  the  course  of  his  handler,  each  cast  being 
parallel  to  all  other  casts,  if  the  handler  pursues  a  straight 
course.  The  distance  between  the  parallels  is  supposed  to 
be  about  the  length  which  a  dog  can  command  with  his 
nose;  hence  it  is  apparent  that  the  parallels  cannot  be  an 
arbitrary  distance  apart  at  all  times — when  the  scent  is  good 
they  may  be  wider;  when  it  is  poor,  they  should  be  narrower; 
and  they  differ  with  different  dogs. 

The  method  of  teaching  it  is  very  simple,  to  wit:  The 
handler  walks  up  wind  invariably;  he  casts  the  dog  off  to 
the  right  or  left,  giving  the  proper  signal  with  his  hand. 
When  the  dog  reaches  the  end  of  his  cast,  a  signal  of  the 
whistle  is  given  to  turn  him;  when  his  attention  is  caught, 
if  he  does  not  turn  properly,  give  a  signal  of  the  hand  to 
turn  him  in  the  right  direction  across  wind.  By  also  walk- 
ing in  that  direction  while  giving  the  signal,  it  will  assist  to 
start  him  aright;  when  he  takes  his  cast  correctly,  resume 


224  MODERN    TRAINING. 

the  course  up  wind.  It  would  seem  to  be  an  easy  matter 
to  teach  a  dog  to  quarter,  after  reading  the  instructions  of 
authors.  The  dog  is  simply  required  to  go  to  and  fro  at 
right  angles  to  his  handler's  course.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
the  first  attempts  will  be  far  from  accurate,  and  will  have 
very  little  resemblance  to  quartering;  but  with  experience 
and  unremitting  attention,  he  will  slowly  improve.  The 
training  consists  in  holding  him  constantly  as  near  as  pos- 
sible to  these  parallels,  day  after  day  and  week  after  week, 
until  from  the  very  force  of  habit  he  follows  them  without 
any  assistance  or  direction  from  his  handler.  After  the  dog 
is  proficient,  he  must  be  hunted  against  the  wind  continually 
when  at  work — the  quartering  dog  which  will  quarter  or 
work  well  in  any  direction  is  so  extremely  rare  that  he  does 
not  affect  the  rule  in  the  least. 

Now,  if  the  handler  aspires  to  train  his  dog  to  such  a 
degree  of  refinement  in  quartering  that  he  can  sit  on  a  fence 
on  the  windward  side  of  a  field,  cast  his  dog  in  a  straight 
line  to  the  lee  side,  then  have  the  dog  quarter  the  field  back 
to  him,  as  is  described  by  some  authors,  he  is  leading  a  very 
forlorn  hope.  In  about  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  when  the 
handler  seats  himself  comfortably,  the  dog  does  likewise; 
the  tenth  dog  is  generally  deficient  in  sense  or  experience. 
About  once  in  a  lifetime  the  average  sportsman  who  owns 
the  average  number  of  dogs  may  own  one  dog  which  will 
have  consideration  enough  to  hunt  a  field  while  his  handler 
sits  on  the  fence.  However,  it  is  hardly  worth  his  while  to 
attempt  training  the  average  dog  to  this  accomplishment, 
for  he  will  be  disappointed. 

In  teaching  braces  to  quarter,  it  is  necessary  to  teach  each 
dog  singly  until  he  is  passably  proficient,  it  being  self-evi- 
dent that  if  one  dog  is  difficult  to  train  to  it,  two  at  one 
time  would  be  immeasurably  more  so.  Some  writers  advise 
that  an  old  dog  be  started  with  a  young  one  to  teach  him 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  225 

quartering.  It  would  be  just  as  reasonable  to  suppose  that 
an  inexperienced  man  could  learn  wing  shooting  by  simul- 
taneously shooting  with  a  crack  shot.  There  are  certain 
things  which  both  man  and  dog  must  learn  from  their  own 
individual  experience. 

When  the  dog  is  reliable,  he  may  be  run  with  a  brace 
mate  which  is  equally  so.  Here  a  variety  of  complexities 
may  arise  that  could  not  appear  when  working  singly.  One 
or  both  may  be  inordinately  jealous,  and  may  flush  or 
chase  as  a  consequence;  one  may  defer  entirely  to  the  other 
and  follow  him  about  constantly,  which  act  spoils  the  brace 
work  completely;  one  may  be  a  much  faster  or  wider  ranger 
than  the  other,  which  also  impairs  the  value  of  the  brace. 

A  brace  should  work  perfectly  independent  of  each  other, 
and  theoretically  their  parallels  must  alternate,  hence  each 
must  take  wider  parallels  than  when  working  singly,  so  that 
they  will  not  be  closer  than  their  noses  can  command.  Or 
one  dog  must  quarter  on  the  right  side,  the  other  on  the  left 
side  of  his  handler,  a  line  ahead  of  the  latter  in  the  direc- 
tion of  his  course  being  the  point  at  which  the  dogs  turn. 
Theoretically,  the  dog  does  it  to  mathematical  accuracy; 
practically,  the  handler  should  only  strive  to  approximate  to 
it;  if  he  can  do  so  he  does  well. 

In  quartering,  as  in  ranging,  the  dog  may  develop  a  va- 
riety of  idiosyncracies;  he  may  take  a  short  cast  on  one  side 
and  a  long  one  on  the  other;  he  may  turn  up  wind  at  one 
end  of  his  cast  and  down  wind  at  the  other;  he  may  come 
to  his  handler  at  regular  intervals,  perhaps  at  every  cast;  he 
may  in  the  middle  of  a  cast  take  a  turn  to  the  rear  of  his 
handler  and  repeat  it  regularly  at  each  cast  or  at  one  par- 
ticular cast;  in  fact,  there  are  a  great  variety  of  whims 
which  he  may  exhibit,  but  the  aforementioned  are  the  most 
important. 

As  mentioned  under  the  head  of  Ranging,  one  should  be 


226 


MODERN    TRAINING. 


excellent   where   the   other  is  weak,  thus  both   combined 
should  have  all  possible  abilities  and  accomplishments. 

The  disadvantages  incidental  to  quartering  are  as  follows: 
If  the  quartering  dog  has  hunted  on  certain  grounds  during 
a  whole  season,  he  must  hunt  them  day  after  day  in  the 
same  formal  manner.  Undoubtedly  he  has  learned  where 
the  haunts  of  many  bevies  are,  but  the  strict  formality  will 
not  allow  him  to  use  his  knowledge.  Under  any  circum- 
stances the  quartering  dog  is  at  a  disadvantage  in  compar- 
ison with  an  intelligent  ranger,  but  after  the  first  day's 
hunting  on  certain  grounds,  the  former  cannot  compete  with 
the  dog  which  exercises  both  his  memory  and  intelligence. 
In  consequence  of  the  irregularity  of  grounds  or  the  vary- 
ing haunts  of  the  birds,  the  quartering  dog  must  work  over 
large  areas  of  grounds  which  are  palpably  barren;  more- 
over, from  being  constantly  held  down  to  set  forms  of 
ranging  he  cannot  exercise  his  judgment  independently, 
therefore  he  cannot  develop  it.  In  this  respect  he  never 
can  approach  the  performances  of  a  ranging  dog  as  de- 
scribed under  the  head  of  Ranging,  although  he  may  have 
equal  natural  capabilities.  Forms  are  merely  a  substitute 
for  intelligence,  but  in  this  case  they  are  a  failure. 


BRF.AKING    AND    HANDLING. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

DROPPING    TO   WING    AND    SHOT. 

In  teaching  the  dog  to  drop  to  wing  or  shot,  the  whirr  of 
wings,  the  sight  of  the  flying  birds  or  the  report  of  the  gun 
have  precisely  the  same  significance  as  an  oral  command. 
When  taught  perfectly,  the  dog  drops  promptly  at  the  first 
intimation  with  reference  to  these  circumstances.  The 
same  care  in  teaching  prompt  and  full  obedience  to  any 
other  commands  would  insure  the  same  results.  Dropping 
to  wing  or  shot  is  an  unnecessary  accomplishment — in  many 
respects  it  is  disadvantageous  and  injurious.  It  is  much 
overrated  in  the  good  qualities  claimed  for  it,  namely,  that 
it  prevents  the  dog  from  chasing  or  breaking  shot  when  the 
gun  is  fired.  Theoretical  writers  overlook  the  fact  that  if 
the  trainer  can  teach  the  dog  to  drop  to  shot,  he  can  teach 
him  to  be  steady  to  order;  furthermore,  it  is  much  more 
trouble  to  train  a  dog  to  drop  to  shot  and  wing  regularly 
than  it  is  to  simply  steady  him.  The  real  reason  of  its  pop- 
ularity is  the  ornamental  finish  which  it  is  supposed  to  confer 
on  a  dog's  work.  Dropping  a  dog  to  shot  or  wing  may  be 
beneficial  in  his  early  training,  but  merely  for  the  time  being, 
and  then  only  in  obedience  to  an  oral  order  or  signal  of  the 
hand. 

The  act  Is  a  disadvantage  if  the  dog  is  a  retriever,  for  it  is 
apparent  that  he,  when  dropped  to  shot  or  wing  in  sedge 
grass  or  cover,  cannot  mark  the  fall  of  a  dead  bird,  or  the 
flight  of  live  ones.  Some  intelligent  dogs  compromise  by 


228  MODERN    TRAINING. 

dropping,  then  instantly  raising  up  in  front  and  peering 
over  the  grass  to  mark  the  live  or  dead  birds — when  they 
accomplish  the  purpose,  they  immediately  drop  and  remain 
steady  till  ordered  on.  The  act  is  particularly  objectionable 
and  injurious  in  cold,  rainy  weather,  on  marshy  or  muddy 
grounds,  or  in  winter  hunting,  for  the  dog  must  then  drop 
in  cold  water,  snow  or  mud;  if  under  the  circumstances  the 
act  is  insisted  on,  it  is  an  abuse  of  a  faithful  servant,  and  a 
degradation  to  an  intelligent  companion.  This  accomplish- 
ment is  usually  insisted  on  by  owners  who  have  their  dogs 
trained  by  professional  handlers,  it  being  considered  both 
useful  in  results  and  elegant  in  performance;  but  the  ama- 
teur, so  far  as  usefulness  is  concerned,  need  not  trouble 
himself  with  it. 

If  dropping  to  shot  and  wing  is  taught  at  a  proper  time, 
it  must  be  taught  during  the  latter  part  of  the  dog's  training. 
There  are  many  things  which  are  necessary  to  consider  and 
note  before  it  is  attempted,  namely,  the  dog  must  not  be 
gunshy,  he  must  have  learned  to  point  birds  steadily,  and 
must  have  no  fears  of  them,  or  the  gun,  or  his  handler.  To 
attempt  it  earlier  is  to  run  the  chances  of  having  a  blinker 
or  a  distrustful  dog. 

If  the  dog  is  properly  trained  so  that  he  is  not  afraid  of 
the  whip  and  will  drop  squarely  and  steadily  to  a  cut  of  it 
on  the  shoulder,  no  precautions  need  be  taken  against  run- 
ning away;  if  not,  the  same  precautions  may  be  taken  as 
with  a  dog  which  breaks  shot.  The  advantages  of  training 
a  dog  to  drop  to  a  cut  of  the  whip  on  the  shoulder  are  now 
manifest.  It  is  all  the  order  that  is  needed,  and  being 
trained  to  it,  the  dog  drops  properly  without  trouble.  If 
not  trained  to  it,  the  whip  always  has  a  tendency  to  make 
him  run  away,  at  least  it  distracts  his  mind  from  the  real 
purpose,  and  has  no  more  meaning  than  a  whipping  in 
general.  Eventually  the  same  associations  must  be  estab- 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  229 

lished,  but  it  will  be  done  in  a  more  irregular  manner  under 
less  favorable  circumstances. 

There  is  no  occasion  for  hurry  in  teaching  it;  in  fact,  it  is 
harmful.  The  closest  observation  must  be  exercised  to 
teach  him  to  drop  and  not  incidentally  injure  his  other 
work;  also  to  avoid  teaching  him  unintentionally  to  drop  on 
his  points.  It  is  true  that  some  dogs  drop  to  their  points 
naturally,  but  it  is  equally  true  that  the  greater  number  do 
it  from  education,  the  latter  of  course  not  being  so  intended, 
but  is  so  in  effect,  since  the  dog  so  understands  and  ap- 
plies it. 

Every  time  a  bird  is  flushed  to  the  dog's  point,  or  every 
time  he  flushes  one  whether  unintentionally  or  otherwise, 
the  trainer  drops  him  by  oral  command  or  signal.  Fre- 
quent opportunities  occur  when  the  trainer  can  walk  up 
beside  him,  give  him  a  cut  on  the  shoulder  with  the  whip 
as  the  bird  rises;  this  must  not  be  done  too  frequently  else 
the  dog  drops  when  he  hears  the  handler  walk  up,  and  this 
may  be  the  inceptive  stage  of  dropping  to  point.  If  he  has 
been  trained  properly  in  his  preliminary  yard  breaking,  he 
will  drop  instantly  to  a  cut  of  the  whip.  He  soon  learns 
to  further  associate  it  with  the  rise  of  the  bird;  finally,  he 
associates  the  act  of  dropping  with  the  rise  of  the  bird, 
and  the  intermediate  element,  /.  <?.,  the  whip,  can  be  left 
out.  By  dropping  him  with  unfailing  regularity,  either  by 
command,  signal,  or  the  whip,  he  will,  after  a  longer  or 
shorter  time,  learn  to  drop  voluntarily. 

Occasionally  sour,  sulky  or  obstinate  dogs  will  drop  to 
wing  when  they  know  that  the  trainer  has  the  advantage, 
and  will  refuse  when  they  have  it.  Severe  punishment  is 
the  proper  treatment  for  such  cases,  making  them  drop  re- 
peatedly to  impress  it  on  their  memories  in  connection 
with  the  punishment. 

The  training  should  not  be  so  strict  at  times  when  the 


230 


MODERN    TRAINING. 


dog  is  greatly  fatigued.  He  may  learn  that  it  is  a  comfort- 
able position,  and  for  that  reason  alone  may  adopt  it  on  his 
points.  Under  such  circumstances,  dogs  often  drop  to  their 
points  without  any  teaching;  furthermore,  what  with  dropping 
to  his  points  when  excessively  fatigued,  dropping  to  the  an- 
ticipated rise  of  the  bird,  and  dropping  to  unintentional 
flushes,  there  is  always  a  probability  that  the  dog  may  event- 
ually drop  to  his  points  habitually;  and  when  he  once  does 
so,  it  is  permanent. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  231 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

TURNING    TO    WHISTLE. 

In  most  instances  the  dog  learns  readily  to  turn  by  ob- 
serving the  purpose  of  the  whistle,  if  the  same  notes  in  the 
same  connection  are  regularly  used.  When  first  teaching 
the  dog  to  turn,  the  whistle  merely  attracts  the  dog's  at- 
tention; the  trainer  then  gives  the  signal,  walking  at  the 
same  time  in  the  direction  he  wishes  him  to  go;  the  dog 
will,  at  all  events,  turn  to  take  the  course  of  his  handler. 
By  repetition  the  dog  at  last  learns  the  meaning  of  the 
note  on  the  whistle.  There  should  be  a  distinct  note 
for  him  to  turn  and  take  a  cast  back  again;  there  should  be 
another  note  which  signifies  attention  !  so  that  the  handler 
can  give  a  signal  by  hand  to  order  the  dog  in  any  direction 
he  wishes;  and  there  should  be  a  distinct  note  which  signi- 
fies that  the  dog  is  to  come  in. 

But  some  dogs  are  self-willed,  and  will  evade  obedience 
when  they  can  do  so  with  impunity.  The  better  way  with 
one  of  that  kind  is  to  force  him  to  instant  obedience.  Take 
him  into  a  securely  inclosed  yard,  put  a  spike  collar  and  a 
stout  rope  about  ten  feet  long  on  him.  The  trainer  walks 
the  dog  back  and  forth.  Each  time  he  turns,  he  blows  the 
signal  to  turn,  jerking  the  dog  around  at  the  same  time 
with  the  collar.  Prompt  obedience  is  soon  rendered  to  the 
whistle,  but  the  lessons,  which  should  be  about  ten  minutes 
in  duration,  ought  to  be  given  regularly  each  day  until  he 
will  turn  promptly  without  force  being  used.  Then  the  col- 


232  MODERN    TRAINING. 

lar  may  be  dispensed  with  and  the  lessons  conducted  in  the 
yard  until  he  will  obey  the  lightest  note.  If  he  refuses  to 
go  out  to  a  signal  of  the  hand,  force  may  be  used  to  com- 
pel him.  The  writer,  by  this  method,  has  trained  dogs  to 
perfect  obedience,  which  were  both  headstrong  and  sulky. 
To  put  them  under  restraint  was  to  induce  a  spell  of  sulki- 
ness.  They  were  determined  to  either  work  in  their  own 
way  or  not  at  all.  By  taking  them  into  a  yard  as  above  de- 
scribed, and  forcing  them  to  obedience,  a  superior  finish 
was  put  on  their  education.  If  the  dog  goes  into  a  corner 
and  sulks,  the  trainer  simply  gives  the  signal  to  Go  on,  and 
thereupon  drives  the  dog  on  with  the  whip.  When  he  learns 
that  he  cannot  be  disobedient,  his  sullenness  will  gradually 
disappear. 

After  these  lessons,  it  is  better  to  leave  the  spike  collar 
on  him  for  a  few  days  while  in  field  work.  The  presence 
of  it  will  cause  him  to  be  obedient  many  times  when,  if  it 
were  absent,  he  would  refuse  to  obey;  besides,  it  is  ready 
for  instant  use  if  he  should  presume  on  changed  surround- 
ings to  be  disobedient.  This  is  strictly  a  forcing  method, 
and  should  not  be  used  if  dogs  can  be  otherwise  taught; 
but  the  setter  or  pointer  does  not  live  that  cannot  be  forced 
to  obedience  by  it,  if  it  is  properly  and  persistently  applied. 
The  trainer,  if  he  applies  it,  should  continue  the  lessons  un- 
til obedience  becomes  habitual.  anS  the  demeanor  should  be 
calm,  and  no  loud  orders  given. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  233 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

BRACE    WORK. 

Brace  work,  in  the  formal  manner  in  which  it  is  practiced 
in  England,  finds  no  favor  with  American  sportsmen. 

It  is  an  utter  impossibility  to  make  good  braces  out  of  all 
dogs,  be  they  ever  so  good  individually.  Necessarily  a  dog 
cannot  show  all  his  traits  when  working  singly,  therefore  his 
capabilities  for  brace  work  can  be  determined  only  by  act- 
ual trial.  To  be  desirable,  the  dogs  of  a  brace  must  be  as 
nearly  equal  in  speed  as  it  is  possible  to  have  them,  it  be- 
ing evident  that  an  irregularity  in  this  respect,  or  in  ranging, 
will  detract  from  their  value,  since  one  dog  will  be  doing  all 
the  work.  They  should  be  nearly  equal  in  style — if  one  is 
stylish  and  the  other  slouchy  in  his  ways,  the  contrast  is  dis- 
pleasing. A  matter  of  prime  importance  is  that  they  should 
work  independently.  As  mentioned  in  Ranging,  one  dog 
should  be  strong  in  qualities  in  which  the  other  is  weak.  It 
is  a  very  rare  occurrence  to  find,  even  among  the  best  per- 
formers, dogs  which  are  good  in  all  kinds  of  work — good 
rangers,  retrievers,  good  performers  on  bevies  or  single  birds, 
having  good  judgment,  speed,  range,  intelligence,  endur- 
ance and  honesty.  Of  course  it  is  desirable  to  have  both 
clogs  as  near  perfect  as  possible.  An  inferior  training  may 
not  be  specially  detrimental  when  a  dog  is  worked  singly, 
but  for  brace  work  the  training  must  be  thorough. 

Each  dog  should  be  trained  to  turn  to  a  different  note  of 
the  same  whistle,  so  that  turning  both  will  be  avoided  when 


234  MODERN    TRAINING. 

it  is  desired  to  turn  but  one;  and  in  a  similar  manner,  with 
other  commands.  Some  trainers  use  a  separate  whistle  and 
note  for  each  dog,  thus  varying  both  the  sound  and  note; 
but  this  is  hardly  necessary  since  the  dog  can  readily  dis- 
tingush  different  notes  as  well  as  different  sounds;  however, 
there  are  individuals  which  differ  in  their  perception  of 
sounds — if  trained  to  but  one  whistle  they  will  turn  to  the 
sound  of  any  whistle  or  any  variety  of  note.  This  trait 
cannot  be  corrected,  and  therefore  somewhat  impairs  the 
dog's  usefulness  for  brace  work. 

Each  dog  should  distinctly  understand  his  name,  and 
none  other.  If  one  dog  is  called  by  name  the  other  dog 
must  not  be  permitted  to  respond  to  it  if  he  is  disposed  to 
do  so.  Each  individual  of  the  brace  ought  to  be  as  sus- 
ceptible to  distinct  handling  and  undisturbed  effort  when 
working  jointly  as  when  working  singly. 

When  a  bird  is  to  be  retrieved,  it  should  be  made  a  per- 
manent and  unalterable  law  that  only  one  dog  is  to  retrieve 
and  he  not  till  ordered.  If  they  are  at  all  unreliable  in  this 
respect,  a  pin  about  twelve  inches  long,  sharpened  at  one 
end,  is  useful  when  there  is  a  lesson  in  correct  retrieving. 
This  pin  can  be  pushed  in  the  ground  with  the  foot,  and  one 
dog  tied  to  it  with  a  check  cord.  If  he  stirs  while  the 
other  dog  is  retrieving,  take  him  back  to  his  place  and  whip 
htm,  keeping  him  at  the  drop.  One  dog,  then  the  other  may 
be  required  to  fetch  the  bird  several  times,  the  greatest 
steadiness  being  required  of  the  dog  which  is  not  retriev- 
ing. This  must  be  persisted  in  till  the  prescribed  steadi- 
ness is  established.  When  the  dogs  are  finished  in  retriev- 
ing as  a  brace,  by  simply  looking  intently  at  one  and 
quietly  speaking  his  name,  when  a  bird  is  killed,  he  will 
spring  forward  and  retrieve  while  the  other  remains  motion- 
less. They  can  be  trained  to  even  greater  nicety — either 
one  which  the  handler  looks  at  and  gives  the  slightest  signal 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  235 

to,  with  the  forefinger  or  a  slight  inclination  of  the  head,  or 
other  slight  sign  that  the  dog  can  see,  if  it  has  been  asso- 
ciated with  the  act  by  proper  training,  will  be  obeyed  in- 
stantly; the  other  dog  will  be  perfectly  steady.  It  is  im- 
portant, in  giving  a  signal  after  this  manner,  to  catch  only 
the  eye  of  the  dog  which  is  to  retrieve  ;  if  unfortunately 
the  trainer  should  catch  the  eyes  of  both  dogs  at  the  junc- 
ture when  the  signal  is  given,  both  would  certainly  bound 
forward  to  retrieve,  and  if  not  under  the  nicest  control, 
would  not  stop  until  the  bird  was  reached. 

The  dogs,  when  at  heel,  can  be  trained  to  the  same  de- 
gree of  perfection  as  in  retrieving.  Calling  one  by  name 
is  a  sufficient  order  to  send  him  on.  This  can  be  taught  so 
thoroughly  that  the  handler  can  train  a  dozen  or  more  dogs 
to  remain  steadily  at  heel,  and  go  out,  one  at  a  time,  as  their 
names  are  spoken. 

No  neglect  of  any  formality  in  brace  work,  such  as  back- 
ing, retrieving,  etc.,  can  be  tolerated.  If  any  fault  is  per- 
mitted to  pass  without  a  reprimand,  it  rapidly  goes  from  bad 
to  worse,  and  this  loose  work  will  adversely  affect  the  work 
of  his  companion. 

By  far  the  best. method  of  working  the  dogs  in  this  coun- 
try, at  least  where  sportsmen  are  vigorous,  all-day  hunters, 
is  to  work  one  dog  at  a  time,  keeping  the  other  at  heel,  thus 
by  alternating  in  the  work,  uniform  effort  is  maintained 
throughout  the  day  with  less  fatigue  than  if  both  are  worked 
constantly.  In  fact,  a  better  average  of  shooting  will  be 
maintained  by  keeping  one  fresh  dog  working  constantly, 
than  by  two  which  are  run  long  after  they  are  thoroughly 
weary. 

16 


236  MODERN    TRAINING. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

SHYNESS. 

Gunshyness,  whipshyness,  blinking,  and,  frequently,  bolt- 
ing, are  all  caused  by  fear,  hence  they  are  intimately  related 
so  far  as  corrective  treatment  is  concerned. 

Gunshyness,  in  some  instances,  is,  by  a  few  sportsmen, 
supposed  to  be  hereditary,  but  the  writer,  in  a  somewhat  ex- 
tensive experience  with  gunshy  dogs,  has  never  observed 
any  cases  which  could  be  said  to  have  the  failing  from  in- 
heritance. The  chief  causes  are  errors  in  giving  the  dog 
his  first  experience  with  the  report  of  a  gun,  a  fault  com- 
mon to  inexperienced  amateurs,  and  a  few  who  are  not 
inexperienced;  and  it  also  maybe  caused  by  many  inherited 
infirmities  of  the  nervous  organization  of  the  dog  caused 
by  bad  breeding.  In  cases  where  dogs  have  degenerated 
through  many  generations  in  this  respect,  they  are  timid  and 
easily  alarmed  at  any  unusual  noise;  and  being  afraid  of  a 
gun  or  other  noises  is  simply  peculiar  to  the  degenerated 
nervous  system  in  each  individual,  and  not  to  an  inherited 
fear.  If  such  dogs  were  afraid  of  a  gun  alone,  therefore 
indifferent  to  all  other  alarming  noises,  generation  after 
generation,  it  might  then  fairly  be  inferred  that  the  gun- 
shyness  was  hereditary;  but  with  nervously  excitable  dogs 
such  is  not  the  case;  they  are  fearful  of  all  alarming 
noises.  The  writer  has  seen  dogs  which,  when  in  a  room 
where  a  clock  struck,  would  bolt  out  of  the  door  or  win- 
dow in  the  extreme  of  fright.  The  slam  of  a  door,  the 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  237 

fall  of  a  broomstick,  or  other  unusual  sound,  would  pro- 
duce the  like  result.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  add  that  they 
were  gunshy.  The  gunshyness,  merely  an  incident  of  the 
fault,  is  mistaken  for  the  fault  itself.  Unquestionably,  dogs 
of  such  character  are  predisposed  to  gunshyness,  but  no 
more  so  than,  from  their  infirmity,  they  are  predisposed  to 
many  other  annoying  traits. 

Frequently  good  dogs  are  unnecessarily  made  gunshy  by 
mismanagement,  and  quite  as  frequently  the  fault  is  ascribed 
to  the  imperfection  of  the  dog.  Very,  few  cases,  if  any, 
are  known  where  the  trainer  was  admittedly  blamable. 
When  puppies  are  handled  properly,  the  fault  rarely  appears. 
It  is  a  safe  estimate  that  four  cases  out  of  five  are  caused 
by  bad  management,  consequently  could  have  been  avoided. 
Often  the  first  introduction  the  dog  has  to  the  report  of  a 
gun  is  under  the  most  adverse  circumstances.  The  owner 
takes  the  dog  out,  for  the  first  time  perhaps,  to  a  strange 
place.  When  a  favorable  opportunity  offers,  he  looks 
sternly  at  the  dog,  shouts  Steady,  and  fires,  not  improbably 
with  five  drams  of  powder  with  a  ten  bore.  The  dog 
sees  a  flash,  hears  a  dreadful  noise,  smells  a  vile  smell  of 
burnt  powder,  is  panic  stricken  and  bolts — the  owner  shouts 
loudly  for  him  to  come  in;  when  the  dog  is  caught  sooner 
or  later,  the  lesson  may  be  gracefully  finished  with  a  lav- 
ish profusion  of  whip,  spike  collar,  and  imprecation.  If 
then  it  can  be  learned  that  the  dog  had  an  ancestor  which 
was  gunshy,  such  affords  ample  material,  with  some  furbish- 
ing of  the  imagination,  for  a  learned  and  lengthy  public  let- 
ter on  hereditary  gunshyness,  whereupon  the  production 
finds  favor  as  a  contribution  to  science,  and  the  amateur 
establishes  a  reputation  as  a  close  observer  and  astute  rea- 
soner.  Such  a  case  may  apparently  be  overdrawn,  but  in 
the  main  features  it  happens  frequently,  the  hereditary 
failing  not  being  in  the  dog.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  a  re- 


238  MODERN    TRAINING. 

spectably  large  number  of  men  have  a  strong  talent  for  de- 
veloping all  kinds  of  objectionable  traits  in  all  kinds  of  dogs, 
it  is  a  cause  of  wonderment  that  larger  numbers  are  not 
gunshy;  indeed,  it  is  strange  that  more  do  not  die  violent 
deaths  from  the  carelessness  of  some  sportsmen.  Gunshy- 
ness is  not  confined  to  the  dog.  An  experienced  shooter 
can  be  made  gunshy,  even  if  he  has  good  nerves.  Many 
men  will  flinch  when  a  careless  companion  is  shooting;  in 
fact,  when  afield  with  certain  men,  a  wholesome  fear  is  both 
commendable  and  discreet. 

Occasionally  a  dog  will  be  met  with  which  is  so  exces- 
sively gunshy  that  it  will  require  weeks  or  months  to  over- 
come it.  It  is  safe  to  presume  that  there  is  no  case  of 
incurable  gunshyness  in  any  dog  free  from  natural  mental 
infirmities.  Many  cases  have  been  abandoned  as  incurable, 
but  they  were  simply  incurable  so  far  as  the  trainer  had 
made  his  efforts,  hence  were  incurable  only  by  assumption; 
if  the  trainer  had  persisted,  or  used  other  methods,  there 
would  have  been  no  doubt  of  success.  The  writer  never 
saw  but  one  case  of  gunshyness  which  he  thought  incurable, 
although  he  had  seen  several  that  required  weeks  to  cure. 
After  working  months  on  this  case  ana  exhausting  every 
known  means  to  allay  the  fears  without  the  slightest  visible 
improvement,  it  was  pronounced  hopeless  and  incurable. 
Had  this  view  been  favored  by  subsequent  circumstances, 
it  would  probably  have  been  something  toward  supporting 
the  view  that  an  occasional  dog  could  not  be  cured.  For- 
tunately, during  the  following  season,  the  dog  was  kenneled 
on  grounds  where  there  was  a  great  deal  of  trap  shooting 
and  in  time  was  completely  cured.  The  changed  surround- 
ings also  undoubtedly  assisted  to  promote  the  cure;  for  a 
dog  can  become  habituated  to  expect  certain  disagreeable 
sensations  under  certain  surroundings  and  conditions. 
Frequently,  for  this  reason,  a  change  of  handlers  and  sur- 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.    '  239 

foundings  is  beneficial,  the  unpleasant  memories  associated 
with  the  handler  sometimes  lasting  long  after  the  fears  of 
the  gun  are  gotten  over. 

The  methods  of  treating  cases  which  are  more  or  less 
developed  generally  differ  from  each  other  with  different 
dogs.  Hardly  any  two  dogs  exhibit  precisely  the  same 
degree  of  gunshyness,  or  can  be  cured  by  precisely  the  same 
means.  Cases  which  seem  to  be  simple  and  quickly  cur- 
able may  last  with  discouraging  pertinacity,  while  appar- 
ently bad  cases  may  end  suddenly  by  some  adventitious 
circumstances,  such  as  the  killing  of  a  bird  with  the  gun, 
where  the  clog  can  see.it,  etc.  As  maybe  surmised,  the 
natural  intelligence,  disposition  and  observational  powers  of 
the  dog  are  all  important  considerations  in  the  method  of 
cure.  Such  dogs  as  crouch  and  become  apathetic,  or  obliv- 
ious to  all  externals,  are  very  troublesome.  With  such, 
there  is  no  method  but  to  shoot  persistently  until  they  be- 
come habituated  to  the  noise.  There  are  individuals  which 
are  simply  afraid  for  the  time  being;  they  may  run  away 
and  return  of  their  own  volition,  or  remain  away  at  a  dis- 
tance at  which  they  feel  safe.  The  severe  methods  are 
inefficient.  No  punishment  should  be  given  under  any  cir- 
cumstances, except  that  a  checkcord  may  be  put  on  the  dog 
to  keep  him  from  running  away.  It  often  happens  that  an 
amateur,  who  is  not  habituated  to  persistent  and  patient 
effort,  loses  his  temper,  then  adopts  the  treatment  sanctioned 
by  immemorial  usage,  which  is  a  sequence  to  his  superior 
reasoning  powers;  nevertheless,  it  is  plain  that  whipping  a 
clog  for  being  afraid  is  not  a  reassuring  method.  Every 
effort  to  gain  the  confidence  and  affection  of  the  dog  by 
the  kindest  treatment  is  sufficient,  and  his  trainer  should 
personally  give  him  a  run  in  the  fields  every  day.  Every- 
thing that  tends  to  hold  his  confidence,  or  strengthen  his 
self-reliance,  is  so  much  gain. 


240  MODERN    TRAINING. 

Shooting  over  the  points  of  a  gunshy  dog  is  extremely 
unwise.  While  it  might  cure  him  in  one  lesson  if  he  is  not 
very  gunshy,  there  are  many  more  probabilities  that  it  might 
cause  him  to  blink  his  birds  by  associating  their  presence 
with  his  other  fears,  and  then  there  is  a  discouraging  com- 
bination of  evils. 

The  correct  demeanor  of  the  trainer  adds  greatly  to  the 
success  of  any  method.  He  should  affect  the  greatest  un- 
concern when  the  gun  is  fired.  After  a  few  moments  the 
dog  can  be  noticed,  and  spoken  to  kindly.  Any  notice 
taken  of  him  at  the  time  of  the  firing  excites  his  apprehen- 
sion, and  he  naturally  thinks  that  the  noises  refer  to  himself. 
By  this  course  the  unpleasantness  is  disassociated  as  much 
as  possible;  therefore,  looking  intently  at  the  dog  and  giving 
loud  orders  in  connection  with  the  report,  only  serves  to 
impress  it  on  him  that  he  is  the  direct  object  of  the  pro- 
ceedings. Running  away  is  an  aggravating  evil  which 
ought  to  be  carefully  guarded  against.  With  dogs  of  good 
judgment  and  which  are  not  excessively  gunshy,  the  trainer 
can  take  some  chances  in  this  respect. 

The  dog  which  will  curl  up  and  become  apathetic  is  the 
most  difficult  to  cure.  No  persuasion  will  arouse  his  atten- 
tion. Shrinking  into  a  small  compass,  even  on  bare  ground, 
appears  to  give  a  feeling  of  security.  A  dog  of  this  kind 
should  be  tied  in  an  open  yard  where  there  is  not  the  slight- 
est object  to  conceal  him  or  give  him  a  feeling  of  conceal- 
ment. Then  fire  about  one  hundred  blank  cartridges  or 
explode  percussion  caps  deliberately  and  at  regular  intervals, 
at  about  a  distance  of  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  away  from  him, 
taking  no  notice  of  him  in  the  meantime.  The  lessons  may 
be  repeated  day  after  day  regularly  until  a  cure  is  affected. 
A  dog  cannot  remain  in  a  state  of  perpetual  fright;  yet  a 
great  deal  of  time  may  be  consumed  in  curing  him;  if  he  is 
not  unusually  promising,  he  might  not  be  worth  the  trouble. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  241 

As  the  dog  becomes  accustomed  to  the  noise  and  shows  less 
apathy,  he  may  be  petted  and  given  a  piece  of  meat  betimes 
to  excite  his  interest.  Later,  taking  him  into  the  fields  on 
a  light  checkcord  will  be  a  gain.  By  taking  advantage  of 
little  circumstances  he  will  gradually  become  accustomed  to 
hear  the  report  with  indifference.  If  a  small  bird  is  shot  in 
a  favorable  position  for  him  to  see  it  fall,  it  may  destroy  his 
fears,  and  the  keenest  interest  may  supersede  them,  thus 
effecting  a  cure.  As  mentioned  in  the  directions  for  accus- 
toming a  dog  to  the  gun,  a  pistol  is  the  better  arm  to  begin 
with. 

A  dog  which  does  not  become  apathetic  from  fright  is  in 
most  instances  easily  cured.  Tie  him  in  a  yard  as  in  the 
preceding  instance.  If  he  struggles  at  a  report  of  the  gun 
or  pistol,  put  a  spike  collar  on  him  to  prevent  his  doing  so. 
After  a  few  lessons  his  fright  will  become  less  and  less, 
when  he  may  be  petted  and  given  pieces  of  meat  or  other 
palatable  morsels.  The  lessons  may  be  given  in  different 
places  at  different  times.  When  given  the  lessons  repeat- 
edly in  a  certain  place  at  a  certain  hour,  he  is  frightened 
before  a  gun  is  fired  at  all,  when  taken  to  the  place  having 
the  unpleasant  associations.  Constant  deliberation,  kind- 
ness and  calmness  are  indispensable  to  the  best  success. 

Discharging  a  pistol  at  mealtime  has  some  benefit  with 
certain  dogs.  If  one  of  this  kind  refuses  to  come  out  of 
his  kennel,  do  not  disturb  him;  take  the  food  away  and  do 
not  give  him  any  until  the  next  regular  feeding  time.  Con- 
tinue this  treatment  until  he  will  come  to  his  meals,  which 
he  is  almost  certain  to  do  after  missing  two  or  three.  At 
first  it  is  better  not  to  disturb  him  by  any  more  shooting, 
then  he  will  soon  learn  that  the  shot  is  a  signal  for  his  meals. 
All  amateurs  hurry  too  much  in  this  method.  They  shoot 
during  the  meal  and  between  meals,  promiscuously,  thus 
keeping  the  dog  in  a  state  of  constant  fearfulness.  The 


242  MODERN    TRAINING. 

greater  number  of  cases  can  be  easily  cured  by  deliberation 
and  tact.  If  the  dog  is  apparently  cured  by  harsh  treat- 
ment, it  is  by  becoming  habituated  to  it — he  could  have 
been  cured  much  quicker  by  kind  treatment. 

If  a  dog  is  intelligent  and  free  from  nervousness,  but  little 
more  than  an  opportunity  to  learn  the  uses  of  the  gun  is 
required  to  effect  a  permanent  cure.  A  few  small  birds 
killed  with  light  charges,  shot  under  conditions  favorable 
for  him  to  see  them,  frequently  allay  all  fears.  A  light 
checkcord  should  be  kept  on  him  at  the  start,  if  he  evinces 
any  disposition  to  run  away. 

If  a  sportsman  does  not  intend  to  train  his  dog  himself, 
it  is  much  better  to  refrain  from  any  partial  training.  Train- 
ers much  prefer  to  have  a  dog  wholly  free  from  any  exper- 
imental attempts.  If  there  is  any  good  accomplished,  there 
are  always  a  number  of  objectionable  traits  developed  at  the 
same  time,  which  overbalance  the  little  which  is  taught.  A 
trainer  always  feels  disposed  to  charge  extra  for  a  dog  said 
to  be  partially  broken;  and  if  he  is  not  short  of  business, 
he  will  probaly  refuse  him  if  offered,  experience  having 
taught  him  that  such  engagements  are  far  from  satisfactory. 

Blinking,  or  the  act  of  avoiding  birds,  is  not  infrequently 
associated  with  gunshyness.  Excessive  punishment  for 
flushing  or  chasing,  or  to  make  a  dog  retrieve  in  the  field, 
also  may  cause  it.  The  trainer  thus  effects  unconsciously 
what  he  purposely  effects  with  respect  to  rabbits,  chickens, 
sheep,  etc.  In  rare  instances  a  dog  will  be  found  which  is 
so  nervously  fearful  that  the  whirr  of  wings  alone  as  the 
bevy  rises  will  cause  fright  and  blinking.  Instances  are 
known  where  dogs  would  have  fits  under  such  circum- 
stances, and  others  would  yelp  and  bark  in  a  delirium  of 
fright.  Blinking  is  simply  bird-shyness — the  dog  is  afraid 
of  the  birds,  arid  avoids  them  as  much  as  possible.  There 
is  a  form  of  blinking  which  is  extremely  rare,  although  it 


MODERN    TRAINING.  243 

can  hardly  be  called  blinking  in  the  proper  sense  of  the 
term.  The  dog,  from  impatience,  great  nervous  energy,  or 
fear  of  his  handler,  will  not  hold  his  points  sufficiently  long 
for  his  handler  to  come  up  and  flush.  He  points  well  prob- 
ably, but  abandons  his  point  and  is  off  again  with  undimin- 
ished  vigor,  hunting  for  another  bevy.  If  not  due  to  bad 
handling,  it  denotes  a  faulty  understanding  in  the  dog.  He 
would  be  benefited  by  overtraining  to  a  certain  extent  so  that 
he  would  defer  more  to  his  handler;  also  by  working  amongst 
scattered  birds  with  a  checkcord  on,  and  making  him 
remain  until  the  birds  were  killed  and  retrieved.  By  making 
him  so  work  in  a  formal  manner  till  it  becomes  a  habit,  it 
may  be  cured,  although  when  apparently  cured,  it  may  ap- 
pear at  times,  therefore  the  dog  having  such  fault  is  an 
uncertain  performer. 

Blinking  is  one  of  the  worst,  if  not  the  worst  fault  in  a  field 
dog.  It  generally  is  cured  slowly  and  with  difficulty.  At 
the  first  intimation  of  birds,  the  dog  skulks  or  cowers,  and 
any  efforts  to  draw  attention  to  them,  however  kindly  done, 
excite  more  fears,  aggravate  the  evil  and  accomplish  nothing. 
In  many  cases  where  the  dog  is  a  confirmed  blinker,  he 
may  be  hunted  all  day,  and  apparently  find  no  birds.  Such 
is  not  the  case,  really.  He  is  constantly  on  the  alert  and 
at  the  slightest  indication  of  scent  he  cunningly  avoids 
them.  Only  by  some  trifling  momentary  change  in  the  de- 
meanor of  the  dog  can  it  be  detected  that  he  is  blinking. 
He  may  change  his  course  slightly,  or  sneak  a  few  yards; 
or  skulk  and  go  faster  or  slower  than  ordinary;  or  he  may 
stop,  hesitate  a  second,  then  turn  and  take  a  different  direc- 
tion. Each  dog  has  some  act  in  this  connection  peculiar 
to  himself  that  the  handler  must  learn  by  close  observation. 
When  a  dog  is  known  to  be  shy  of  birds  and  runs  all  day 
without  apparently  finding,  he  should  be  watched  very 
closely.  Unless  the  novice  watches  with  the  most  ceaseless 


244  MODERN    TRAINING. 

care,  he  may  not  notice  anything  unusual,  and  would  con- 
jecture that  birds  were  scarce  or  the  dog  had  not  found-any. 
The  dog  could  run  day  after  day  without  making  a  find, 
unless  he  happened  to  run  into  a  bevy  when  the  wind  was 
unfavorable.  The  most  unremitting  kindness  must  be 
shown.  Sometimes  encouraging  him  to  kill  a  crippled  bird 
will  restore  his  confidence;  sometimes  giving  him  opportu- 
nities to  chase  rabbits,  or  to  flush  or  chase  birds,  will  have 
a  like  effect.  Opening  birds  that  have  been  killed  and  per- 
mitting him  to  eat  the  entrails  will  sometimes  stimulate  his 
desire  to  kill.  If  the  evil  is  corrected,  the  subsequent 
training  must  be  very  mild.  Constant  work  and  association 
should  be  depended  upon  to  complete  it. 

If  the  dog  is  excessively  timid,  take  an  unbroken  dog 
with  him  and  by  imitation  and  rivalry  he  may  learn  to  chase 
rabbits  and  birds.  If  the  handler's  presence  is  a  source  of 
dread,  it  is  better  to  give  him  free  opportunity  to  self  hunt, 
or  chase  rabbits  with  hounds.  Few  dogs  can  resist  the  in- 
clination to  chase  when  they  hear  other  dogs  open  on  a 
trail.  If  the  dog  is  persistently  distrustful  of  his  handler, 
a  change  to  other  hands  will  be  beneficial. 

The  better  way  is  to  avoid  the  fault  by  careful  training, 
which  can  be  done  in  most  cases.  The  trainer  should  not 
always  consider  what  he  applied  the  punishment  for,  but 
what  the  dog  considers  he  applied  it  for.  If  the  trainer 
whips  the  dog  for  flushing  or  chasing,  and  the  dog,  con- 
struing it  as  punishment  for  hunting  birds,  stops  hunting 
them,  the  trainer  necessarily  must  govern  his  methods  there- 
after by  the  dog's  peculiarities.  Usually  an  experienced 
handler  can  detect  or  anticipate  the  turning  point  between 
unsteadiness  and  blinking,  and  modify  his  treatment  accor- 
dingly. Just  one  whipping  too  much,  or  a  gun  fired  at  an 
inappropriate  juncture  when  the  dog  is  more  or  less  gun- 
shy,  may  entail  weeks  of  the  most  irksome  training,  since 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  245 

the  dog  must  thereafter  be  treated  with  unvarying  kindness 
without  reference  to  the  good  or  ill  he  may  do.  Perhaps 
he  may  follow  resolutely  at  heel  day  after  day,  in  which 
event  he  must  have  his  own  way  until  time  and  kindness 
assuage  his  fears.  It  may  be  necessary  at  last  to  give  him 
whole  birds  to  eat,  or  permit  him  to  tear  the  head  off  while 
the  bird  is  in  the  hand.  This,  as  a  matter  of  course,  has  a 
tendency  to  spoil  his  retrieving,  but  at  times  there  is  only 
the  choice  between  a  spoiled  retriever  and  a  spoiled  dog. 
Errors  in  training  cannot  always  be  corrected,  hence  it  is 
better  to  avoid  them. 

Bolting  is  the  act  of  running  away  completely;  the  dog 
has  quit  hunting,  and  has  no  intention  of  returning,  at  least 
within  a  reasonable  time;  and  the  handler  has  lost  all  con- 
trol of  him.  It  is  the  worst  form  of  running  away.  It  is 
generally  caused  by  gunshyness,  fear  of  punishment,  or 
from  a  desire  to  be  disobedient.  This  fault  should  not  be 
confounded  with  self-hunting,  since  in  the  latter  fault,  the 
dog  has  no  intention  to  bolt — he  simply  hunts  beyond  con- 
trol and  returns  at  times  to  learn  the  whereabouts  of  his 
handler.  When  a  dog  runs  away,  he  generally  returns  home; 
sometimes  he  hides  at  a  safe  distance  from  his  handler  and 
may  return  after  awhile;  sometimes  he  goes  miles  and  miles, 
traveling  day  after  day.  In  training  there  is  a  great  dif- 
ference in  the  dispositions  of  dogs  in  this  respect.  There 
are  individuals  which  will  run  away  on  the  slightest  provo- 
cation; others  will  not  run  unless  unreasonably  punished, 
and  then  they  may  run  entirely  out  of  the  neighborhood; 
others  again  will  run  to  a  safe  distance  and  begin  self-hunt- 
ing, and  may  refuse  to  pay  the  slightest  attention  to  him 
further  than  to  keep  in  mind  his  general  course;  thus  there 
are  several  distinct  degrees  of  running  away.  There  is  no 
part  of  training  that  requires  greater  tact  than  catching  a 
runaway  dog,  providing  he  does  not  bolt,  this  act  being  un- 


246  MODERN    TRAINING. 

controllable.  It  may  safely  be  laid  down  as  a  rule  that  a 
hunter  on  foot  or  horseback,  in  a  rough  country,  cannot 
accomplish  anything  by  running  after  a  runaway  dog  with 
the  intention  of  stopping  him.  It  is  sure  to  increase  his 
alarm  or  stimulate  him  to  greater  exertion,  and  in  the  chase 
it  is  easy  to  forecast  the  victor.  When  the  dog  runs,  the 
trainer  will  succeed  better  if  he  assumes  an  air  of  uncon- 
cern, although  he  should  watch  the  dog  closely  and  covertly 
to  see  when  he  turns  to  look  back,  which  generally  he 
will  do;  at  that  instant  the  trainer  turns  and  walks  in  the 
opposite  direction.  In  most  instances  the  dog  will  follow 
cautiously,  and  as  his  fears  are  dissipated,  will  co.me  in  or 
resume  hunting.  If  he  will  not  come  in,  the  trainer  must 
use  a  little  artifice — sit  down  where  the  dog  can  see  him 
and  pretend  to  be  busily  engaged  at  eating  lunch;  or  if 
there  is  another  dog  along,  the  trainer  can  make  a  great 
demonstration  of  petting  him  or  playing  with  him,  thus  ex- 
citing the  runaway's  jealousy.  So  intense  is  this  feeling 
and  the  desire  for  approbation  that  a  dog  will  at  times 
come  in,  even  if  he  has  just  apprehension  of  punishment. 
If  he  will  not  come  in  for  these  devices,  his  curiosity  may 
be  excited  by  earnestly  digging  with  a  stick;  or  by  chasing 
an  imaginary  rabbit  in  a  direction  away  from  him.  What- 
ever method  is  being  pursued,  the  greatest  indifference 
and  unconcern  toward  the  dog  should  be  affected.  Any 
attention  paid  directly  to  him  excites  his  suspicion  and  hast- 
ens his  departure,  particularly  if  he  has  run  away  before. 
At  times  when  he  keeps  at  a  safe  distance  from  his  handler, 
yet  will  not  run  entirely  away,  some  order,  such  as  Go  on, 
may  be  given,  and  the  dog  again  started  in  his  work;  in 
this  manner  his  mind  may  be  diverted  from  running  away; 
shortly  afterward  he  may  forget  all  about  it.  If  the  dog 
runs  out  of  sight  and  does  not  return  in  a  reasonable 
time  thereafter,  the  report  of  the  gun  will  frequently 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  247 

be  efficacious  in  bringing  him  in  if  he  is  fond  of  hunting 
and  is  not  gunshy.  The  same  artifice  is  not  to  be  practiced 
too  frequently.  If  the  dog  runs  home,  follow  him,  put  on 
the  spike  collar,  and  bring  him  back  to  the  place  he  ran 
from,  even  if  it  is  five  miles  away.  Lead  him  back  and 
give  the  collar  a  jerk  betimes  to  make  the  return  trip  as 
unpleasant  as  possible.  A  few  lessons  in  obedience  to  the 
order  Come  in  can  then  be  given.  It  is  not  advisable  to 
cast  him  off  again  until  his  fears  are  thoroughly  allayed. 
A  long,  light  checkcord  may  be  attached  to  the  collar  and 
he  may  then  be  permitted  to  run,  if  he  will,  and  snubbed 
with  the  checkcord.  Many  dogs  will  not  attempt  to  run  if 
they  feel  the  spike  collar  on  their  necks,  hence  it  is  advan- 
tageous to  leave  it  on  such  when  necessary.  If  a  dog  is 
cunning  and  will  not  run  when  he  feels  the  checkcord  and 
spike  collar  on  his  neck,  he  may  be  deceived  by  taking  off 
his  kennel  collar  and  still  keeping  on  the  spike  collar;  when 
he  runs  he  may  be  brought  up  to  a  standstill  with  the  check- 
cord  and  spike  collar.  After  the  dog  is  restored  to  his  or- 
dinary humor,  cast  him  off;  but  it  is  better  to  refrain  from 
giving  him  orders  until  he  has  forgotten  the  unpleasant- 
ness. If  he  starts  to  run,  he  generally  expects  to  be  chased. 
If  he  stops  to  look  at  his  handler,  he  merely  wishes  to  see 
if  he  is  in  pursuit.  If  the  handler  appears  indifferent,  the 
manner  puzzles  him.  A  dog  can  read  by  his  handler's  ac- 
tions what  his  intentions  are,  in  many  cases.  In  hunting  on 
the  same  grounds,  it  is  unwise  to  have  an  unpleasantness 
twice  in  the  same  place,  as  thereafter,  at  the  slightest  alarm 
in  such  place,  he  may  bolt.  The  cause  of  running  away  in 
the  field  may  be  remedied  by  long  continued  yard  breaking, 
if  it  admits  of  being  so  done.  It  is  commonly  a  grave 
error  to  whip  a  dog  for  running  away,  such  treatment 
naturally  having  a  detrimental  effect  on  the  next  repetition 
of  the  act;  nevertheless,  a  professional  trainer  who  knows 


248  MODERN    TRAINING. 

his  dog  thoroughly  may  do  so  profitably;  but  the  benefit 
accrues  more  from  the  general  superiority  of  the  discipline 
in  all  branches  than  from  the  transient  punishment — it  is 
not  discreet  for  the  amateur  to  attempt  it. 

On  the  prairie,  the  fault  is  not  so  difficult  to  cure,  if  the 
trainer  has  a  good  horse.  The  worst  runaway  dog  alive  can 
be  cured,  under  such  circumstances,  in  one  or  two  lessons. 
It  is  advisable  to  take  the  dog  out  on  the  prairie  where  there 
is  a  clear  course  in  every  direction  for  a  mile  at  least.  Give 
the  order  which  the  dog  usually  refuses  to  obey,  and  which 
he  considers  sufficient  provocation  for  bolting.  The  mo- 
ment he  starts,  not  sooner,  begin  the  chase.  The  pace 
should  be  made  as  fast  as  possible  from  the  start,  for  if  the 
dog  is  not  caught  within  the  first  mile  he  generally  makes 
good  his  escape.  It  is  useless  to  attempt  it  without  a  good 
horse.  Generally,  by  hard  riding,  the  dog  can  be  caught 
within  the  first  quarter  of  a  mile.  Put  on  the  spike  collar 
when  caught,  lead  him  back  in  a  walk  to  the  place  from 
which  he,  started,  giving  him  a  jerk  with  the  collar  occasion- 
ally to  keep  his  mind  on  his  business.  When  at  the  place 
from  which  he  started,  take  off  the  collar,  assist  him  to  re- 
gain his  tranquillity,  then  cast  him  off,  repeat  the  offensive 
order,  and  let  him  run  if  he  will.  He  may  again  bolt,  but 
it  is  very  doubtful;  if  he  does,  catch  him  and  repeat  the 
correction.  The  author,  when  in  Louisiana  and  Minnesota, 
broke  several,  first  and  last,  by  this  method.  The  fault  was 
never  repeated  twice  in  succession.  In  most  cases,  one  les- 
son was  sufficient  to  effect  a  permanent  cure.  The  second 
lesson  was  always  all  that  was  necessary.  As  soon  as  the 
dog  hears  the  horse  coming  and  realizes  the  situation,  he 
extends  himself  to  his  utmost.  The  trainer  should  keep  his 
course  a  few  yards  one  side  or  the  other  of  the  dog's  course. 
The  dog  may  stop  suddenly,  roll  on  his  back  and  beg,  or 
stop  to  give  up  the  race.  If  directly  in  his  trail,  the  trainer 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING 


249 


might  ride  over  him,  thus  injuring  him;  or  horse,  dog  and 
rider  might  go  down  together. 

As  in  many  other  parts  of  training,  precautionary  meas- 
ures are  the  best.  By  avoiding  as  much  as  possible  such 
circumstances  as  are  liable  to  provoke  a  runaway,  the  dog 
may  not  learn  that  he  can  do  so.  When  the  general  dis- 
cipline is  perfect,  it  is  then  much  easier  to  correct  any 
imperfection  of  detail.  If  the  dog  once  learns  that  he  can 
evade  obedience  by  bolting,  there  is  no  limit  to  the  annoy- 
ance and  injury  it  may  do  to  the  whole,  training.  He  im- 
proves rapidly  in  his  knowledge  of  it  and  may  become,  in  a 
great  measure,  wholly  unmanageable.  Dogs,  being  very 
intelligent  and  cunning,  quickly  learn  what  measures  are 
conducive  to  their  safety  or  pleasure  when  punishment  is 
imminent  or  distasteful  orders  are  to  be  obeyed;  but  once 
learned,  the  handler  should  trust  more  to  his  finesse  than  to 
^any  punishment. 


250  MODERN    TRAINING 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

UNSTEADINESS. 

Breaking  shot,  breaking  in,  and  chasing  are  all  different 
forms  of  the  same  thing,  namely,  an  effort  to  secure  posses- 
sion of  the  prey.  It  is,  to  a  certain  degree,  the  dog's  native 
manner  of  pursuit  and  capture,  but  is  incompatible  with  the 
success  of  the  gun.  If  the  dog  is  trained,  the  first  mani- 
festation of  unsteadiness  should  be  appropriately  punished) 
except  such  cases  as  have  other  faults  which  may  be  thereby 
aggravated,  such  as  a  tendency  to  blink,  bolt,  etc.;  with 
such,  simply  returning  them  to  the  place  from  which  they 
started  to  break  shot  or  chase,  and  giving  a  scolding,  will  be 
beneficial,  and  if  repeated  with  each  offence,  will  generally 
effect  a  cure.  The  fault,  if  not  firmly  repressed  in  the  be- 
ginning, soon  becomes  confirmed,  and  is  one  which  amateurs 
cure  with  difficulty,  although  it  is  one  of  the  easiest  if  the 
handler  can  lay  aside  his  shooting  proclivities  for  the  time 
being. 

In  skillful  training,  the  intent  is  not  to  arbitrarily  suppress 
unsteadiness  from  the  start.  The  matter  of  making  them 
steady,  partially  steady  or  wholly  unsteady  is  one  of  expe- 
diency, as  has  been  intimated  in  previous  chapters. 

When  the  puppy  is  in  field  training  it  is  always  better  to 
correct  the  fault  gradually.  The  puppy  is  not  conscious  of 
doing  anything  but  what  is  perfectly  right;  in  fact,  if  a 
novice  wounds  a  bird,  he  makes  a  chase  in  a  similar  manner. 
There  are  expert  trainers  who  not  only  give  the  puppy  a  lib- 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  251 

eral,  unrestrained,  preparatory  course,  but  permit  him  to 
break  shot  more  or  less  until  well  advanced  in  training. 
Unquestionably  the  mode  is  superior  if  applied  by  a  skillful 
trainer,  since  it  infuses  dash,  self-confidence,  eagerness  to 
hunt,  and  encourages  the  marking  of  the  flight  of  birds.  It 
is  particularly  superior  if  the  puppy  shows  timidity;  more- 
over, in  such  cases,  it  is  the  only  correct  one.  The  amateur, 
however,  would  do  well  to  restrain  the  liberties  of  an  obsti- 
nate, hard-headed  dog  as  soon  as  possible,  consistently  with 
his  peculiarities. 

After  the  training  to  the  gun  has  begun,  chasing  rabbits 
should  be  corrected  as  soon  as  possible,  unless  the  dog  has 
some  peculiarities  which  will  be  benefited  by  permitting  it; 
hence  sometimes  it  is  a  fault,  sometimes  not.  To  break  him 
of  this  fault  when.it  is  such,  watch  for  a  favorable  opportu- 
nity, in  a  chase,  to  shoot  the  rabbit  ahead  of  the  dog.  This 
opportunity  happens  frequently.  For  a  moment  the  dog 
thinks  the  chase  a  grand  success.  Put  a  short  cord  on  his 
collar  and  hold  it  and  the  rabbit  in  the  left  hand.  Hold  the 
whip  in  the  right.  Thrust  the  rabbit  in  his  face,  at  the  same 
time  giving  him  a  sharp  cut  with  the  whip,  and  give  the  ex- 
clamation Hi !  Hi!  or  any  other  order  which  is  commonly 
used  to  make  him  desist.  Continue  the  punishment  accord- 
ing to  his  needs  and  disposition.  A  few  corrections,  thus 
applied,  usually  cure  the  ordinary  cases.  When  a  dog  is 
unusually  resolute,  he  needs  a  correspondingly  greater  whip- 
ping. After  a  few  corrections,  he  may  forget  himself  for  a 
moment,  but  the  warning  cry,  Hi!  will  suffice  to  stop  him. 
This  treatment  is  sure  to  cure  him  in  time  regardless  of  his 
disposition.  It  is  simply  teaching  a  dog  to  blink  rabbits  in 
the  same  manner  that  the  trainer  sometimes  unintentionally 
teaches  him  to  blink  birds.  The  punishment  for  flushing, 
breaking  shot,  etc.,  is  very  similar,  hence  the  distinction  in 
the  matter  is  chiefly  in  the  idea  of  the  trainer;  if  persisted 
17 


252  MODERN    TRAINING. 

in  to  a  certain  length,  the  dog  refuses  to  chase;  if  continued 
further,  the  dog  refuses  to  hunt.  In  this  connection,  it  is 
worthy  of  note  that  in  enforcing  steadiness  to  shot  and 
wing,  much  more  care  and  attention  are  necessary,  since  the 
lessons  have  greater  complexities  than  those  with  respect  to 
deterring  him  from  chasing  rabbits,  therefore  much  more  cau- 
tion is  necessary,  and  his  love  of  hunting  must  always 
predominate  over  his  fears.  Any  time  that  he  shows  symp- 
toms of  distrust  or  hesitation  in  his  work  on  birds,  a  modi- 
fication of  methods  forthwith  is  in  order.  It  is  always 
much  the  safer,  and  in  most  instances  the  quicker  way  to 
steady  the  dog  gradually,  effecting  the  purpose  little  by 
little.  Timid  dogs  will  often  stop  when  they  hear  the  ex- 
clamation Hi!  it  being  well  to  remember  that  dogs  of 
sensitive  dispositions  can  be  restrained  without  corporal 
punishment,  in  many  cases. 

In  the  case  of  an  aged  dog  which  has  broken  shot  season 
after  season,  until  it  has  become  habitual,  a  more  radical 
method  is  required.  Such  dogs  usually  have  no  fears,  and 
very  little  respect  with  reference  to  the  handler.  In  most 
cases,  the  better  way  is  to  make  them  afraid.  In  breaking 
one,  leave  the  spike  collar  on  his  neck  when  he  is  hunting 
so  that  it  is  ready  for  use  without  loss  of  time,  or  disturb- 
ance when  he  is  pointing.  Have  a  light  checkcord,  one 
about  three-eighths  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  twenty  feet  long, 
braided,  with  a  snap  securely  fastened  at  the  end.  Have 
it  neatly  coiled  so  that  it  will  run  without  snarling  or  kink- 
ing. Walk  gently  up  to  him  when  he  is  pointing;  secure 
the  snap  to  the  ring  in  the  spike  collar;  flush  the  birds  and 
permit  the  dog  to  run  without  any  caution  to  check  him — 
let  him  run  to  the  full  length  of  the  checkcord.  Do  not 
attempt  to  jerk  him  up  short — such  might  break  his  neck. 
The  lesson  will  be  severe  enough;  if  the  handler  eases  the 
shock  a  little,  it  will  have  even  then  sufficient  force,  if  he 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  253 

will  not  permit  the  handler  to  walk  close  to  him  while  he  is 
pointing,  both  the  spike  collar  and  checkcord  may  be  left 
on  him.  To  relieve  his  neck  of  any  undue  pressure  from 
the  weight  and  friction  of  the  checkcord,  tie  it  to  the  ring 
of  the  kennel  collar  with  an  ordinary  piece  of  twine,  leav- 
ing a  section  of  the  checkcord  about  six  inches  long  between ' 
the  two  collars;  this  will  then  throw  the  strain  on  the  kennel 
collar,  yet  when  he  chases  and  is  snubbed,  the  string  breaks, 
and  the  spike  collar  then  pinches.  Pull  him  back  to  his 
place  with  the  checkcord,  and  make  him  remain  steady  for 
several  minutes.  If  he  still  persists,  the  method  is  still 
more  simple  and  direct.  Go  afield  with  a  friend  who  has  a 
steady,  reliable  dog.  Leave  your  own  gun  at  home — start 
with  the  intention  of  devoting  a  full  day  to  dog  training,  if 
necessary.  Put  the  spike 'collar  and  checkcord  on  your 
dog,  and  keep  the  checkcord  in  hand.  When  your  friend's 
dog  points,  give  your  dog  as  favorable  an  opportunity  to 
break  shot  as  possible.  At  the  report  of  the  gun  or  rise  of 
the  bird,  let  him  go  to  the  full  length  of  the  checkcord; 
pull  him  back  to  place;  make  him  drop,  then  apply  the 
whip  according  to  requirements.  If  he  shows  any  hesita- 
tion to  break,  encourage  him  to  do  so,  let  him  have  his  own 
way,  but  apply  the  punishment  at  every  repetition.  No  dog, 
however  determined,  will  persist  in  breaking  shot  during  a 
whole  day  under  such  treatment  if  birds  are  plentiful,  nor 
will  it  soon  be  forgotten.  This  method  will  cure  the  worst 
cases. 


254  MODERN    TRAIKING 


CHAPTER  XX. 

TRAINED    AND    OVERTRAINED. 

During  the  period  in  which  the  dog  is  in  training,  he 
must  necessarily  receive  many  orders  to  the  end  that  his 
work  may  be  made  to  co-operate  with  that  of  the  gun.  By 
being  kept  to  formality  in  certain  parts  of  his  work,  the 
formal  manner  becomes  habitual.  The  dog,  if  properly 
trained,  thereafter  is  capable  of  working  intelligently  to  the 
gun  without  any  supervision.  He  roads  and  points  on  his 
own  judgment,  ranges  intelligently,  and  steadily  performs 
such  acts  as  are  necessary  to  assist  the  gun.  He  does  not 
look  to  his  trainer  for  any  orders  while  ranging,  the  general 
course  of  the  hunt  being  a  sufficient  guide  for  him.  Con- 
tinual orders  and  checks  to  a  trained  dog  is  the  crudity  of 
handling. 

As  to  the  manner  in  which  a  trained  dog  should  work,  the 
opinions  vary  with  the  sportsmen  who  live  in  different  game 
sections  of  this  country,  owing  primarily  to  the  important 
peculiarities  and  requirements  of  each  section,  the  difference 
in  topography,  climate,  food  supply,  habits  and  habitat  of 
the  different  species  of  game  in  each  respective  section, 
making  natural  reasons  for  different  methods  of  work; 
nevertheless,  sportsmen  of  the  same  section  rarely  concur 
in  their  ideas  of  what  constitutes  a  perfectly  trained  dog. 
Whatever  his  manner  of  work,  there  should  always  be  self- 
confidence  and  individuality  in  it.  The  trainer,  as  a  matter 
of  course,  should  train  his  dog  to  hunt  after  the  methods 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  255 

that  are  successful  under  the  existing  circumstances;  still, 
by  the  necessary  diversity  of  work,  a  dog  can  be  taught  to 
hunt  well  on  different  kinds  of  game  in  the  same  or  differ- 
ent sections.  A  dog  which  has  not  the  most  perfect  self- 
reliance  in  his  manner  of  work,  and  does  not  do  it  to  the 
best  of  such  ability  as  he  has  without  any  prompting,  has 
been  imperfectly  trained  if  he  needs  prompting;  and  if  he 
does  not  need  it,  his  handler  is  unnecessarily  officious  be- 
sides cramping  the  dog's  capabilities,  if  ordering  him  con- 
tinually. Besides  working  in  a  formal  manner,  the  trained 
dog  has  a  comprehension  of  the  general  management  him- 
self. He  marks  birds,  works  entirely  in  the  interest  of  the 
gun,  and  is  not  only  a  trained  servant,  but  an  intelligent 
one. 

Overtraining  is  really  more  objectionable  than  insufficient 
training,  although  few  amateur  trainers  can  hardly  believe 
that  a  dog  can  be  overtrained,  their  ideas  of  training  being 
governed  more  by  the  question  of  obedience  than  by  the 
manner  of  work  with  obedience.  It  is  usually  the  result  of 
too  early  and  ceaseless  training,  both  in  yard  breaking  and 
field  work;  this  on  the  one  hand;  on  the  other,  dogs  of 
peculiarly  pliable  and  deferential  dispositions  are  easily 
overtrained  from  even  mild  supervision,  if  the  trainer  does 
not  observe  great  care.  Indications  of  it  are  also  most 
commonly  observed  in  dogs  which  are  naturally  more  or 
less  lazy,  deficient  in  intelligence,  or  unobservant  of  their 
work;  still,  if  a  dog  is  as  high-couraged  and  industrious  as 
may  be,  by  ceaseless  training  to  orders,  his  will  can  be 
wholly  brought  under  the  domination  of  his  handler.  From 
looking  to  him  when  compulsory  attention  is  required  in 
obedience  to  an  order,  he  by  degrees  looks  to  him  more 
and  more  from  habit;  finally,  he  loses  all  individuality,  looks 
to  his  handler  for  an  order  or  signal  voluntarily,  and  performs 
his  work  in  the  most  perfunctory  manner — he  will  stop  at  the 


256  MODERN    TRAINING. 

end  of  every  cast  and  watch  for  a  signal  by  which  to  direct 
his  course,  and  if  in  doubt  may  stop  again  for  a  repetition 
of  it  after  going  a  few  yards;  he  comes  in  frequently,  when 
working  in  cover,  to  receive  orders;  he  works  or  remains  at 
heel  with  equal  unconcern;  he  has  no  purpose  beyond  his 
handler's  directions;  his  acts  are  all  mere  habits;  his  dash, 
spirit  and  enterprise,  from  ceaseless  dictation,  are  completely 
destroyed,  leaving  an  animated  wreck  of  what  might  have 
been  the  embodiment  of  energy  and  spirit. 

It  is  advisable  to  check  this  fault  in  its  inception  as  with 
all  others.  When  a  dog  is  observed  to  habitually  stand  at 
the  end  of  his  beat  waiting  for  a  signal  to  direct  him,  or 
when  he  hesitates  in  reading,  or  other  parts  of  his  work,  to 
receive  orders,  ignore  him  entirely;  in  fact,  it  is  correct  to 
affect  that  he  is  not  observed  at  all.  In  this  manner  he  is 
thrown  on  his  own  judgment.  By  not  receiving  commands 
he  will  cease  to  look  for  them  in  time.  If  the  discipline  has 
been  so  thorough  and  lasting  that  it  has  become  second  na- 
ture, he  will  be  an  overtrained  dog  through  life. 

Nearly  all  works  on  training  enunciate  that,  when  a  dog 
looks  to  his  handler  fora  signal,  it  should  be  given,  thereby 
firmly  fixing  the  handler's  control.  Such  is  one  of  the  most 
pernicious  and  incorrect  of  teachings,  if  not  given  with 
proper  qualifications.  A  dog  should  work  entirely  on  his 
own  judgment  until  he  hears  the  note  on  the  whistle,  which 
is  the  signal  for  attention,  or  until  he  receives  a  command, 
oral  or  by  signal.  If  a  trainer  has  the  ability  to  train  a 
dog  to  wait  at  a  certain  juncture  for  an  order,  he  certainly 
has  the  ability  to  enforce  obedience  to  commands.  Expert 
trainers  consider  overtraining  a  serious  injury  to  a  dog's 
field  value,  and  nowhere  does  its  inferiority  show  so  by  con- 
trast as  in  competition,  the  dog  which  looks  to  his  handler 
for  assistance  not  being  in  the  race  with  one  which  works 
independently. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  257 


CHAPTER  XXI 

CONDITIONING    DOGS    FOR    FIELD    TRIALS HANDLING. 

In  no  other  place  does  improper  training,  insufficient  ex- 
perience, or  poor  physical  running  condition,  manifest  it- 
self so  quickly  and  perceptibly  as  in  a  field  trial  competition. 
A  dog  which  is  naturally  superior,  yet  out  of  condition,  may 
be  defeated  by  his  inferior  which  is  in  good  condition.  So 
expert  have  field  trial  sportsmen  become,  that  if  a  trainer 
has  several  dogs,  they  can  accurately  determine  whether  he 
has  given  them  proper  experience,  work,  and  training  to  the 
gun.  If  they  have  been  trained  under  the  pressure  of  the 
whip,  in  place  of  ample  experience,  it  will  show  by  blunders, 
and  fear,  or  distrust  of  the  handler.  If  they  have  not  had 
sufficient  work  to  condition  them,  they  will  be  soft  in  flesh, 
imperfect  in  muscular  development,  and  thick  in  wind; 
moreover,  there  is  a  general  want  of  knowledge  in  details 
which  is  brought  out  in  bold  relief  by  contrast  with  perform- 
ances of  better  trained  and  conditioned  dogs.  The  ex- 
cellence of  any  performance  is  due  simply  to  a  knowledge 
of  accumulated  detail  with  native  capability,  but  the  latter 
alone  is  inefficient. 

The  real  value  of  a  dog  in  a  competition,  so  far  as  the 
trainer's  or  handler's  skill  is  of  effect,  is  in  his  preparatory 
work  and  physical  condition.  There  is  truly  some  skill 
necessary  to  handle  a  dog  well  in  a  competition,  but  the  han- 
dler's ability  to  help  a  dog  to  do  good  work  is  greatly  over- 
rated. The  common  belief  that  there  is  unlimited  room 


258  MODERN    TRAINING. 

for  sharp  practice  is  wholly  imaginary.  Do  not  assume  for 
a  moment  that  all  field  trial  handlers  cannot  handle  and 
train  a  dog  well.  It  would  be  an  anomaly  if  many  who 
make  training  and  handling  a  profession  did  not  know  how 
to  manage  a  dog  skillfully.  Do  not  enter  the  competition 
with  some  vague  idea  that  the  dog  will  be  pulled  through 
by  your  superior  skill.  Trust  more  to  ample  experience  and 
good  training  and  conditioning  than  to  any  element  of  pos- 
sible handling  superiority.  Do  not  make  the  mistake,  at  a 
trial,  that,  because  the  handlers  and  judges  may  appear  to  be 
unobservant  or  apathetic,  they  do  not  know  what  is  pass- 
ing. It  is  better  to  attend  two  or  three  trials  before  coming 
to  a  positive  conclusion  that  the  handlers  do  not  know  what 
they  are  doing,  that  the  dogs  are  inferior,  a'nd  that  the 
judges  are  incompetent.  After  about  the  third  or  fourth 
trial,  the  novice  will  detect  a  multitude  of  things  which  he 
did  not  know  at  his  first  experience.  To  a  spectator,  it  looks 
very  easy  and  simple  to  handle  a  dog  in  a  trial;  it  is  so  if 
the  dog  is  a  good  one  and  properly  trained,  if  not,  it  is  ex- 
tremely difficult;  but  the  amateur,  by  an  experience  therein, 
will  learn  many  things  that  he  could  not  as  a  spectator. 

There  is  an  error  to  which  many  mature  and  sensible  men 
are  prone,  namely,  they,  or  their  friends,  have  a  dog  at  home 
which  can  surpass  anything  they  ever  saw  at  a  field  trial. 
They  would  be  astonished  to  find  how  many  errors  could  be 
found  in  their  dog's  work  if  an  expert  were  to  keep  a  tally 
on  them  disinterestedly.  In  field  shooting,  few  sportsmen 
consider  a  flush  a  demerit  if  it  leads  to  a  successful  shot. 
Such  errors,  while  not  injurious  to  the  bag  in  private  shoot- 
ing, would  seriously  injure  a  dog's  score  in  public  competi- 
tion. The  inexperienced  spectator  always  has  in  mind  the 
dog's  work  as  he  has  seen  it  in  its  best  phases  several  days 
in  succession;  if  run  on  strange  grounds  for  an  hour,  about 
the  average  length  of  a  heat,  he  might  make  a  poor  show- 


BREAKING    AND     HANDLING!  250 

ing  for  want  of  opportunity;  moreover,  a  dog  may  perform 
excellently  well  alone,  or  with  familiar  companions,  while 
with  a  strange  companion  in  every  heat,  strange  whistles  and 
commands,  he  might  become  excited,  or  confused,  or  jeal- 
ous. The  change  of  food,  water,  kenneling  and  long  rail- 
road journeys  sometimes  throw  a  dog  off  his  work.  It 
would  seem  that  of  the  great  multitude  of  dogs  that  are  not 
present  at  field  trials,  but  which  can,  nevertheless,  beat  the 
field  trial  competitors,  it  would  be  an  act  of  true  philan- 
thropy to  take  one  of  the  multitude  to  some  of  the  trials  by 
way  of  a  model  of  what  a  good  dog  should  be,  not  to  men- 
tion the  lesser  honors  and  winnings. 

The  advantages  of  a  superior  course  of  education  are  of 
prime  importance.  The  dog  which  has  been  trained  to  work 
on  birds  correctly,  but  independent  of  any  prompting  of  his 
handler,  will  far  outclass  one  which  depends  on  his  handler 
for  assistance  and  guidance  at  every  turn.  The  one  can  be 
cast  off  with  certainty  of  good  performance  on  his  own  judg- 
ment, the  other  cannot  do  so  if  it  would;  while  the  latter  is 
making  preparations  to  do  certain  work,  the  former  has  it 
done.  The  system  which  requires  the  dog  to  do  the  hunt- 
ing stands  distinctly  superior  over  the  one  which  requires 
the  man  and  dog  to  do  the  hunting. 

In  preparing  any  dog  for  field  trial,  he  should  not  bf. 
worked  so  long  at  one  time  as  to  cause  him  to  slacken  his 
speed  or  quit  work.  Whenever  it  is  observed  that  the  dog 
shows  weariness,  it  is  time  for  him  to  have  a  rest,  or  that 
work  should  cease  for  that  day.  The  aim  is  to  establish  a 
fast  pace  that  he  can  maintain  uniformly  for  a  couple  of 
hours;  also  he  should  be  trained  to  work  on  birds  as  quickly 
as  is  consistent  with  accuracy.  Quickness  of  execution  al- 
ways gives  a  decided  advantage  to  the  dog  possessing  it. 
However,  no  dog  should  be  encouraged  to  run  at  his  utmost 
speed,  for  when  so  extended,  his  attention  is  taken  up  with 


260  MODERN    TRAINING. 

picking  out  his  course,  and  he  cannot  use  his  nose  so  well 
as  when  running  more  at  ease;  besides,  the  pace  is  so  ex- 
hausting that  the  dog  usually  cannot  repeat  well.  In  estab- 
lishing the  pace,  due  regard  should  be  paid  to  the  quality  of 
the  dog's  nose;  if  it  is  good,  he  can  work  correctly  at  top 
speed,  if  inferior,  he  cannot;  hence  he  will  be  an  inferior 
competitor,  whatever  his  training  may  be.  This  for  short 
competitions.  In  a  private  match,  a  two  or  three  days'  race, 
it  would  be  manifestly  unwise  to  train  the  dog  to  other  than 
an  all-day  gait.  In  such  matches,  it  is  purely  a  question  of 
endurance;  of  which  dog  will  quit  first;  the  writer  does  not 
believe  that  the  dog  lives  that  can  run  three  days  from  sun 
to  sun — this  after  seeing  many  of  the  best  dogs  in  public 
and  private.  By  this  it  is  not  meant  that  a  dog  may  not  jog 
and  nose  about  for  three  days,  but  good,  fair  hunting  is 
meant.  Most  dogs  will  be  run  to  a  standstill  on  the  second 
day. 

The  dog,  regardless  of  his  field  trial  performances  or 
great  speed,  when  worked  regularly  every  day  and  nearly 
all  day,  at  least  with  no  reference  to  fitting  him  for  compe- 
tition, adopts  a  steady,  swinging  gallop  which  he  can  maintain 
with  ease.  Some  dogs  trot,  but  such  are  good  to  present 
to  a  friend.  By  graduating  the  work,  almost  any  interme- 
diate gait  may  be  established.  Exceptional  dogs  will  be 
found  which,  while  having  capability  to  work  well  one  or 
two  days,  have  not  sufficient  stamina  to  endure  the  condi- 
tioning, or  a  fast  gait  for  a  short  time.  Others  have  a  reg- 
ular gait  which  cannot  be  improved  upon.  Some  will  start 
the  work  fast  but  gradually  shorten  their  pace  and  range  to 
less  and  less  limits.  Fast  work  is  very  fatiguing.  A  dog 
may  work  all  day  at  a  slow  gait,  and  still  be  unable  to  run 
an  hour  at  a  fast  gallop.  Many  of  the  field  trial  dogs  have 
more  endurance  than  is  commonly  supposed,  the  character 
of  the  speed  not  being  justly  considered.  Because  the  dogs 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  261 

are  required  to  run  only  an  hour  more  or  less,  such  is  no 
grounds  for  inference  that  they  cannot  run  longer;  on  the 
other  hand  some  are  better  adapted  to  short  runs  in  field 
trial  than  to  actual  field  work. 

The  dog  should  have  regular  work  to  keep  him  hard  and 
in  good  wind  and  practice.  No  definite  amount  of  work 
can  be  uniformly  prescribed  for  all  dogs;  it  can  only  be  de- 
termined by  the  capabilities  of  the  individual.  Some  re- 
quire work  every  day;  others,  alternate  days;  or  work  in 
two  days,  then  miss  a  day;  or,  if  there  is  any  tendency  to 
fall  off  in  quickness,  an  exercise  run  merely  may  be  given, 
the  trainer  being  guided  solely  by  the  capabilities  of  the 
dog. 

A  dog  which  makes  little  delays  here  and  there  in  his 
work  is  heavily  handicapped.  If  he  stops  to  potter  occa- 
sionally, even  if  slightly,  he  has  no  chance  to  win  at  a  field 
trial.  If  he  holds  his  nose  to  the  ground  during  five  or  six 
seconds,  his  competitor,  if  fast,  gains  a  moral  advantage  by 
contrast,  and  a  real  one  by  keeping  ahead,  thus  coming  first 
to  the  birds;  if  it  is  repeated  at  intervals,  the  relative  qual- 
ities are  very  apparent.  Thus  matters  which  appear  trifling 
when  the  dog  is  working  alone  assume  a  serious  importance 
in  contesting  with  a  competitor  which  may  be  a  shade 
better. 

In  his  preparation,  at  such  times  as  favorable  opportu- 
nities offer,  it  is  well  to  work  the  dog  with  strange  dogs  so 
that  he  will  become  accustomed  to  such  work — the  excite- 
ment, jealousy,  or  hesitancy  shown  when  first  worked  in 
company  may  be  thus  overcome.  Puppies  in  training  for  a 
Derby  may  be  greatly  assisted  by  having  an  old  dog  to  help 
them  find  birds,  the  greater  number  of  birds  found  giving 
a  consequent  greater  number  of  opportunities  to  the  puppy 
on  scattered  birds. 

All  field  trial  associations  limit  the  ages  of  eligible  entries 


262  MODERN    TRAINING. 

to  their  respective  Derbys,  or  puppy  stakes,  to  on,  or  after, 
January  i  of  the  year  prior  to  that  in  which  the  trials  are 
run;  hence  a  puppy  which  has  the  full  age  allowed  by  the 
limits  may  be  about  twenty-three  months  old  when  he  runs. 
This  concedes  a  very  mature  age  to  a  puppy,  but  it  has  been 
found  necessary  to  grant  a  very  liberal  limit  for  various  rea- 
sons, namely,  with  young  puppies,  the  running  is  a  spiritless, 
wearisome  affair;  many  puppies  do  not  develop  their  instincts 
or  working  powers  during  their  first  season,  therefore  the 
test  would  be  of  no  value,  for  they  might  be  poor  perform- 
ers in  their  first  season  and  good  or  superior  in  their  second 
season;  it  is  impossible,  in  extremely  hot  seasons,  to  give  a 
puppy  sufficient  training,  before  the  trials,  to  show  his  real 
merits;  many  good  puppies  cannot  be  more  than  half  trained 
under  these  circumstances;  and  last,  but  equally  important, 
a  narrower  limit  to  age  would  cut  off  an  important  number 
of  entries.  A  puppy,  whelped  on  or  after  January  i,  will 
be  too  immature  to  run  in  the  trials  of  the  same  year,  hence 
it  is  a  waste  of  money  and  effort  to  attempt  to  run  him. 
He  will  be  about  eight  months  old,  assuming  a  full  age, 
when  the  open  season  begins  legally;  but  nature,  in  the  South, 
effectually  closes  the  season  till  there  are  a  few  sharp  frosts 
to  kill  the  dense  growth  of  weeds,  grass,  and  other  cover; 
and  till  the  cool  days  of  the  fall  begin,  which  is  in  October 
or  early  November,  no  training  of  any  importance  can  be 
done — previous  to  this  time,  the  hot,  sultry  days,  scarcity  of 
water  and  poor  scent  preclude  all  possibility  of  improving 
work.  Puppies  which  are  overworked  under  such  circum- 
stances cannot  be  gotten  to  the  nice  condition,  the  dashing 
spirit  and  energy,  of  a  puppy  trained  during  the  previous 
season.  The  one  season  puppy  must  be  worked  to  the  ex- 
tent of  his  capabilities  to  give  him  training  and  experience, 
whereas  the  two-season  puppy  needs  only  such  field  work 
as  will  develop  him  to  the  highest  physical  condition.  An 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  263 

overworked  young  puppy  cuts  a  tame  figure  in  a  public 
trial.  In  this  immature  and  imperfect  state,  he  will  have 
to  compete  against  dogs  which  had  work  the  previous  fall, 
winter  and  spring,  with  the  further  advantage  of  a  better 
experience  in  the  same  fall,  wherein  the  one  season  puppy 
is  worked;  also  having  the  advantage  of  greater  age  and 
consequent  more  mature  powers.  It  is  always  the  puppies 
of  full  age  and  experience  that  do  uniform  work,  show  reli- 
able capabilities  and  win  the  prizes,  except  in  very  rare  in- 
stances; indeed,  a  dog  at  two  years  of  age  has  all  the  fire 
and  dash  of  youth  combined  with  sufficient  experience  and 
maturity  to  run  with  remarkable  brilliancy  with  aged  dogs, 
as  has  been  demonstrated  at  the  trials  when  such  puppies 
have  run  in  All-age  stakes,  they  being  capable  of  competing 
on  terms  of  equality. 

In  handling  a  dog  at  a  field  trial,  it  is  the  correct  course 
to  confine  your  attentions  to  your  own  dog.  If  the  other 
handler's  dog  flushes,  chases,  or  makes  other  errors,  make 
no  remarks  about  it.  Nothing  is  more  disgusting  than  for  a 
handler  to  turn  around  and  exclaim:  "  That  dog  flushed, 
judges!"  It,  besides  being  ungentlemanly  and  super-offi- 
cious, is  a  direct  reflection  on  the  perception  and  knowledge 
of  the  judges;  moreover,  it  does  no  good  whatever,  for  the 
judges  will  not  consider  anything  they  do  not  see,  and  they 
will  not  ask  a  handler's  interpretation  of  what  they  do  see. 
A  professional  handler  may  submit  to  the  indignity,  a  few 
times,  of  having  his  rights  invaded,  but  he  is  very  sure  to 
protest  against  it  sooner  or  later. 

If  there  is  any  part  which  unfairly  works  to  your  disad- 
vantage, have  no  words  with  the  competing  handler.  Pro- 
test or  ask  for  information  of  the  judges.  All  rules  justly 
permit  it,  and  the  associations  as  they  now  exist  are  opposed 
to  any  trickery  or  unfairness.  Anything  that  is  not  frivolous 
or  malicious  will  be  given  a  respectful  hearing. 


264  MODERN    TRAINING. 

The  better  way  in  handling  a  dog  is  to  cast  him  off  and 
let  him  alone.  The  best  handlers  are  generally  those  who 
make  the  least  noise.  An  amateur  can  compete  success- 
fully if  he  has  his  dog  prepared  properly;  there  is  much 
more  in  this  than  in  the  handling,  but  both  should  be  cor- 
rect. During  the  general  competition  a  competing  dog 
should  be  carried  in  a  wagon  when  he  is  not  running.  The 
perpetual  dragging  and  hauling  on  a  chain  in  the  hands  of 
some  awkward  attendant  is  not  conducive  to  successful 
running.  Dogs  which  have  to  wait  two  or  three  days  or 
more  before  their  running  begins  should  be  exercised  well 
every  day,  otherwise  they  will  get  soft,  thick  in  wind,  and 
accumulate  fat.  It  is  a  fact  well  known  to  experienced 
sportsmen  that  a  healthy  dog  which  has  been  worked  until 
he  is  in  fine  running  condition  will  accumulate  a  great  deal 
of  fat  in  three  or  four  days,  if  fed  on  good  food  and  per- 
mitted to  be  idle. 

In  preparing  a  dog  for  private  field  work,  there  is  no 
need  of  extreme  care  with  respect  to  preserving  a  fast  pace. 
Regular  feeding,  however,  is  necessary  as  with  the  racing 
dog.  Nine  dogs  out  of  ten,  owned  and  kept  by  sportsmen, 
are  fed  too  much  and  exercised  too  little  during  the  close 
season,  and  consequently  they  have  an  accumulation  of  fat, 
are  thick., in  wind,  soft  in  muscle,  and  have  tender  feet — 
they  are  wholly  unfit  for  any  unusual  exertion  in  that  state. 
They  surfer  great  distress,  particularly  at  the  opening  of  the 
game  seasons  in  the  hot  months  of  July,  August  and  Sep- 
tember. The  grossly  fat  dog  suffers  most  of  all;  he  can 
work  but  a  few  moments  at  a  time  before  he  is  painfully 
blown  and  exhausted;  and  as  his  fat  can  be  worked  off  but 
slowly  under  such  circumstances,  it  is  a  wearisome  task  to 
the  handler  to  condition  him  and  a  distressing  experience  to 
the  dog.  The  excessive  weight  and  resultant  awkwardness 
induce  sore  feet  and  muscles,  frequently  preventing  the  dog 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  265 

from  working  at  all  for  several  days;  or  the  dog,  from 
distress,  prostration  or  discomfort,  may  absolutely  refuse  to 
work  when  excessively  fat,  although  he  might  be  an  ener- 
getic worker  when  in  proper  condition.  If  a  sportsman 
goes  shooting  without  paying  any  attention  to  the  condition 
of  his  dogs,  he  deliberately  impairs  or  destroys  the  success 
of  the  trip.  The  average  outing  of  a  business  man  is  not 
sufficiently  long  to  permit  him  to  condition  his  dogs  prop- 
erly. He  should  begin  at  least  a  month  previous  to  his  out- 
ing to  give  the  dog  a  run  night  and  morning  when  the 
temperature  is  coolest,  gradually  increasing  the  length  of 
the  run  as  the  dog  can  stand  it.  If  the  dog  is  much  blown 
at  first,  permit  him  to  run  but  a  few  moments  at  a  time,  let- 
ting him  run  for  exercise  and  walk  at  heel  alternately — in 
this  manner  he  can  run  longer  than  if  run  directly  to  a  stand- 
still. Much  the  better  way  is  to  keep  the  dog  in  at  least 
fairly  good  condition  during  the  open  season,  then  there 
will  be  comparatively  little  trouble  in  getting  him  in  work- 
ing condition.  Dogs  which  are  started  at  work  without 
preliminary  conditioning  afford  the  flattest  and  poorest 
sport,  even  if  in  a  good  game  country. 

In  connection  with  handling,  it  is  proper  to  mention  that 
an  owner,  who  has  his  dog  trained  by  a  breaker,  should 
consider  that  it  requires  a  longer  or  shorter  time  for  the 
dog  to  become  acquainted  with  his  peculiarities:  his  methods 
of  handling;  tone  of  voice;  manner  of  blowing  whistle; 
hand  signals,  etc.,  differing  from  those  of  the  trainer. 


266  MODERN    TRAINING. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE    INTELLIGENCE  OF    THE  DOG. 

Sportsmen  who  have  had  an  extensive  experience  with 
dogs  and  their  performances  afield  believe,  in  the  gener- 
ality of  cases,  that  the  dog  is  a  reasoning  animal.  This  be- 
lief is  commonly  a  slow  growth,  a  process  of  induction, 
opposed  by  the  beliefs  and  prejudices  of  early  teachings 
and  the  natural  penchant  of  mankind  toward  self-exaltation, 
all  of  which  are  formidable  obstacles  to  any  concessions  with 
respect  to  mind  existing  in  the  lower  animals;  moreover,  it 
is  a  universal  belief  that  mind  is  the  distinguishing  attribute 
which  elevates  man  above  all  other  organisms.  It  is  unques- 
tionably true  that  man  transcends  all  animals  in  intelligence, 
but  the  possession  of  reason  is  that  of  superiority,  not  of 
exclusiveness. 

In  many  parts  of  this  work,  much  stress  has  been  laid  on 
the  theory  that  the  dog  is  a  rational  animal — it  may  be  well 
to  adduce  some  proofs  which  will  make  the  theory  more 
susceptible  of  belief,  or  at  least  less  improbable  to  those 
who  hold  that  the  dog  is  endowed  with  no  higher  cognition 
than  that  derived  from  instinct.  Also  it  may  serve  to  en- 
gage the  attention  of  some  sportsmen  who  have  not  given  the 
subject  much,  if  any,  thought.  The  trainer  who  is  attempt- 
ing to  conduct  a  dog's  training,  requiring  intelligent  acts, 
on  a  theory  of  instinct,  is  groping  in  the  dark  and  opposing 
the  evidence  of  his  senses. 

At  the  outset,  it  may  be  proper  to  explain  that  the  author 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  267 

appreciates  the  vast  scope  and  complexity  of  the  subject  in 
its  psychological  phases — the  short  chapter  which  is  here 
devoted  to  the  theme  is  insufficient  to  contain  a  concise  state- 
ment of  the  elementary  principles.  It  may  afford  some  im- 
perfect data,  however,  to  those  who  wish  to  pursue  the 
investigation  further.  If  a  spirit  of  observation  and  inves- 
tigation could  be  once  aroused,  it  would  certainly  result  in 
removing  the  dog  from  the  grade  of  purely  instinctive  or- 
ganisms, to  which  he  has  arbitrarily  been  relegated  by  man, 
to  his  natural  place  in  the  domain  of  reasoning  animals. 
Let  the  intelligent  sportsman  once  begin  to  study  the  dog's 
acts  and  habits  closely  with  a  view  to  analyzing  their  pur- 
poses and  to  classify  the  associated  mental  phenomena, 
and  he  will  become  involved  in  a  thousand  perplexities  and 
inconsistencies  if  he  attributes  the  capability  of  the  dog  to 
acquire  knowledge  and  retain  it,  to  instinct. 

That  the  subject  may  be  treated  fairly,  we  will  briefly 
consider  the  commonly  accepted  reasons  on  which  the  belief 
that  the  dog's  acts  are  instinctive  are  founded,  to  wit : 
Man  is  a  reasoning  animal,  therefore  there  are  no  other  rea- 
soning animals — palpably  a  very  illogical  premise.  All  the 
inferior  mental  and  physical  attributes  of  the  lower  animals 
are  carefully  noted  by  man,  but  those  which  are  analogous 
to  his  own  are  studiously  ignored. 

It  might  be  anticipated  that  an  extremely  complex  meta- 
physical process  of  reasoning  would  be  required  to  prove 
that  the  dog  is  rational.  Such  is  unnecessary.  The  most 
common  phenomena  are  all  that  afford  data  for  mental  sci- 
ence, whether  in  respect  to  man  or  the  lower  animals;  when 
dealing  with  abstractions  of  abstractions,  the  matter  becomes 
wholly  speculative,  and  then  no  two  philosophers  agree  in 
their  inferences.  In  respect  to  man,  by  observing  his  per- 
ception of  means  to  ends,  of  cause  and  effect,  we  deduce 
that  he  is  a  reasoning  animal,  and  although  no  man  has 

18 


268  MODERN    TRAINING. 

seen  more  than  a  small  portion  of  mankind,  a  priori  wo.  ca.n 
infer  that  all  men  are  reasoning  animals. 

To  proceed  understandingly,  it  is  necessary  to  have  at  least 
a  general  definition  of  what  is  meant  by  the  term  instinct,  it 
commonly  being  used  loosely  with  a  variable  meaning,  al- 
ways with  too  much  comprehensiveness,  and  therefore  with- 
out a  just  precision.  As  to  what  constitutes  the  intrinsic 
properties  of  instinct,  the  greatest  philosophers  are  wholly 
unable  to  define;  it  is  in  the  realms  of  the  unknowable; 
however,  while  they  cannot  define  it,  they  can  approximately 
define  its  limits  and  enumerate  some  of  its  extrinsic  proper- 
ties. 

We  will  now  clear  some  of  the  rubbish  of  popular  belief 
from  the  purposes  of  instinct.  It  has  been  arbitrarily  as- 
sumed that  many  acts  of  the  dog  are  instinctively  performed 
for  the  service  of  man,  the  fact  that  he  could  be  trained  to 
work  being  considered  as  conclusive  evidence  that  he  was 
specially  created  to  so  work.  In  his  work  aforementioned, 
Darwin  says:  "Again,  as  in  the  case  of  corporeal  structure, 
and  conformably  to  my  theory,  the  instinct  of  each  species 
is  good  for  itself,  but  has  never,  as  far  as  we  can  judge, 
been  produced  for  the  exclusive  good  of  others." 

Hence  it  is  apparent  that  instinct  is  distinct  and  separate 
from  experience,  and  in  a  measure  independent  of  intelli- 
gence. Its  purposes  are  for  the  good  of  the  individual,  or 
the  preservation  of  the  species.  Instinctive  acts  do  not  im- 
prove by  experience.  The  bird  builds  its  last  nest  like  all 
preceding  ones;  bees  constantly  build  their  honeycomb  in 
the  same  shape,  etc.  On  the  other  hand,  all  intelligent 
animals  improve  their  methods  by  experience;  the  dog  im- 
proves by  experience,  therefore  the  dog  is  an  intelligent 
animal. 

We  will  now  consider  briefly  some  of  the  elementary 
principles  of  mind.  In  its  primary  relations,  mind  has 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  269 

important  physiological  dependencies,  or  it  is  a  dependency 
itself  which  greatly  modifies  or  extends  its  powers  under 
certain  circumstances,  which  is  simply  the  material  phase  of 
mind — this  is  in  no  wise  concerned  with  the  question  whether 
mind  is  material  or  otherwise. 

Prof.  Bain,  in  his  Mental  Science,  says,  "  The  brain  is  the 
principal,  although  not  the  sole  organ  of  mind;  and  its  lead- 
ing functions  are  mental.  The  proofs  of  this  position  are 
these: 

"(i.)  The  physical  pain  of  excessive  mental  excitement 
is  localized  in  the  head.  In  extreme  muscular  fatigue,  pain 
is  felt  in  the  muscles;  irritation  of  the  lungs  is  referred  to 
the  chest,  indigestion  to  the  stomach;  and  when  mental  ex- 
ercise brings  acute  irritation,  the  local  seat  is  the  head. 

"(2.)  Injury  or  disease  of  the  brain  affects  the  mental 
powers.  A  blow  on  the  head  destroys  consciousness;  phys- 
ical alterations  of  the  nervous  substance  (as  seen  after 
death)  are  connected  with  loss  of  speech,  loss  of  memory, 
insanity,  or  some  other  mental  deprivation  or  derangement. 

"  (3.)  The  products  of  nervous  waste  are  more  abundant 
after  mental  excitement.  These  products,  eliminated  mainly 
by  the  kidneys,  are  the  alkaline  phosphates,  combined  in 
the  triple  phosphates  of  ammonia  and  magnesia.  Phos- 
phorus is  a  characteristic  ingredient  of  the  nervous  sub- 
stance. 

"  (4.)  There  is  a  general  connection  between  size  of  brain 
and  mental  energy.  In  the  animal  series,  intelligence  in- 
creases with  the  development  of  the  brain.  The  human 
brain  greatly  exceeds  the  animal  brain;  and  the  most 
advanced  races  of  men  have  the  largest  brains.  Men  dis- 
tinguished for  mental  force  have,  as  a  general  rule,  brains 
of  an  unusual  size.  The  average  weight  of  the  brain  is 
48  ounces.  The  brain  of  Cuvier  weighed  64  ounces.  Idiots 
commonly  have  small  brains. 


270  MODERN    TRAINING. 

"  (5.)  By  specific  experiments  on  the  brain  and  nerves, 
it  is  shown  that  they  are  indispensable  to  the  mental  func- 
tions." 

The  learned  author  then  proceeds  in  a  scientific  exposi- 
tion of  the  dimensions,  shape  and  matter  of  the  brain,  and 
of  the  nerves  and  their  action,  and  the  power  of  sensation 
dependent  on  them;  for  instance,  the  sensations  of  sounds, 
tastes,  sights,  smells  are  known  through  the  nerves  of  the 
ear,  tongue,  eye  and  nose  respectively.  It  may  not  be  cor- 
rect to  say  through,  but  such  is  sufficiently  accurate  for  the 
purpose.  On  these  functional  powers  of  the  senses  depend 
all  the  capability  of  acquiring  knowledge,  either  in  man  or 
the  lower  animals.  The  dog  has  a  brain  containing  white 
and  gray  matter,  a  nervous  system  and  capabilities  of  sen- 
sation, since  all  will  admit  that  he  can  hear,  see,  smell,  taste 
and  feel.  He  must  have  a  perception  of  these  else  there 
would  be  no  sensation,  for  it  is  plain  that  if  the  dog  was 
not  conscious  of  hearing,  seeing,  etc.,  he  would  have 
neither  sensation  nor  perception.  The  dog  has  capability 
to  become  mentally  excited,  mentally  deranged  from  dis- 
eases of  the  nerves  or  brain;  and  feels  fatigue,  pains  in  the 
body,  etc.  A  blow  on  the  head  suspends  consciousness, 
and  may  destroy  his  memory  or  intelligence.  The  shape 
of  the  head  is  indicative  of  intelligence,  and  dogs  vary 
greatly  in  intelligence.  Having  a  brain,  a  delicate  nervous 
organization,  and  as  many  organs  of  sense  as  the  highest 
order  of  animal  life,  it  is  fair  to  assume  that,  inasmuch  as 
mind  is  dependent  on  these  organs,  their  presence  is  indic- 
ative of  mind;  for  it  is  not  reasonable  to  assume  that  all 
these  organs  are  concomitant  to  mind  in  one  species,  and 
not  related  to  it  in  another.  This  is  further  sustained  by 
analogous  feelings  exhibited — the  dog  has  many  emotions 
peculiar  to  mind,  namely,  anger,  affection,  resentment,  grat- 
itude, jealousy,  pleasure,  anxiety,  surprise,  wonder,  sympa- 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  271 

thy,  distress,  mortification,  etc.;  and  volition,  cunning,  love 
of  home,  anticipation,  memory,  etc.,  which  are  not  related  or 
necessary  to  instinct.  Having  the  physiological  organs  of 
mind  and  exhibiting  the  phenomena  of  mind  in  his  acts, 
why  should  any  conclusion  be  derived  therefrom  in  relation 
to  instinct  ? 

Physiologically,  the  analogy  in  the  nervous  organization 
and  the  organs  of  sense  is  not  the  only  one.  It  could  be 
shown,  that  in  the  organic  animal  world  there  is  a  close  and 
related  gradation  of  animal  forms  from  man  as  the  highest, 
down  through  the  intermediate  gradations  to  the  lowest. 
Taking  the  highest  type  of  man  as  the  starting  point,  there 
are  several  regular  descending  gradations  to  the  lowest 
type  of  man  which  have  each  distinguishing  peculiarities  of 
physical  structure,  noticeably  in  that  of  the  brain,  and  dis- 
tinct gradations  of  intellect,  dependent  on  the  peculiar 
brain  formation  and  proportions  of  its  matter  which  are 
present  in  each  gradation;  from  the  lowest  forms  of  man 
to  certain  forms  of  the  lower  animals,  the  gradation  de- 
scends with  uniformity.  This  insensible  gradation  of 
forms  is  still  more  apparent  in  the  skeletons;  many  animals 
varying  greatly  in  their  mature  forms  have  skeletons  show- 
ing close  analogies.  The  similarity  is  even  greater  in  the 
embryos.  Widely  different  species,  such  as  birds,  snakes, 
mammals,  have  embryos  which  are  so  wonderfully  alike  that, 
up  to  a  certain  period  of  development,  they  are  indistin- 
guishable one  from  the  other,  although  each  species  may 
present  wholly  dissimilar  mature  forms;  all  of  which  shows 
the  analogy  of  animal  organisms. 

In  the  human  species,  the  formation,  weight  and  matter 
of  the  brain  vary  from  that  of  the  highest  type,  the  Cau- 
casian, through  intermediate  races  to  the  lowest  in  certain 
savage  tribes,  thence  in  a  descending  scale  of  formations  in 
the  lower  animals.  It  is  reasonable  to  infer  that  the  mental 


272  MODERN    TRAINING. 

phenomena  of  the  highest  form  of  brain  would  be  present 
in  a  lesser  and  lesser  degree  in  all  the  brains  that  had  anal- 
ogous formations,  but  were  successively  inferior  to  it. 
That  there  are  such  differences  in  the  mental  powers  of 
men,  the  different  races  afford  proof.  In  tribes  which  have 
a  brain  formation  approaching  that  of  the  lower  animals,  as, 
for  instance,  the  aboriginal  Australian  tribes,  the  clay  eaters 
of  the  Orinoco,  etc.,  which  lead  an  animal  existence,  the 
intelligence  is  very  low,  and  incapable  of  extending  to  other 
than  the  simplest  forms  of  abstraction.  The  reasoning 
faculties,  unlike  instinct,  are  notable  for  their  variability  and 
want  of  uniformity  in  individuals  of  the  same  family,  tribe, 
or  race;  these  mental  differences  are  observable  in  the  lower 
animals.  By  considering  the  close  gradation  in  physical 
forms,  in  brain  and  nervous  organizations,  and  the  mental 
phenomena  of  different  kinds  of  animals  which  conform  to 
their  brain  development,  there  is  proof  of  a  gradation  of 
minds  as  well  as  of  physical  forms. 

While  it  is  herein  contended  that  a  dog  has  mind,  it  will 
be  explained  that,  as  compared  to  that  of  man,  it  is  in  many 
respects  very  imperfect;  some  faculties  appear  to  be  wholly 
absent;  on  the  other  hand,  some  of  its  physiological  func- 
tions appear  to  be  superior,  such  as  the  sense  of  smell  and 
hearing;  and  in  other  animals,  the  sense  of  sight.  The 
most  important  absent  faculty,  /.  e.,  a  failure  to  understand 
language,  will -be  hereinafter  dwelt  upon. 

Reason,  one  of  the  attributes  of  mind,  is  extremely  diffi- 
cult to  define  in  a  metaphysical  sense.  Every  man  is  con- 
scious of  his  own  mind  but  wholly  unconscious  of  that  of 
others,  hence  a  priori  principles  must  be  assumed.  Only 
by  certain  phenomena  can  we  judge  of  the  existence  of 
mind  in  others;  and  no  one  can  analyze  his  own.  Webster 
defines  reason  as  follows: 

"  The  faculty  or  capacity  of  the  human  mind  by  which  it 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  273 

is  distinguished  from  the  lower  animals;  the  higher  as  dis- 
tinguished from  the  lower  cognitive  faculties,  as  sense,  imag- 
ination and  memory,  and  in  contrast  to  the  feelings  and 
desires,  including  conception,  judgment,  reasoning,  and  the 
intuitional  faculty;  the  intuitional  faculty,  or  the  faculty  of 
first  truths,  as  distinguished  from  the  understanding,  which 
is  called  the  discursive  or  ratiocinative  faculty."  This  defi- 
nition attempts  so  much  in  a  small  space  that  it  accomplishes 
nothing.  It  is  plain  that  the  first  clause  is  meaningless. 
The  lower  animals  have  not  the  slightest  distinguishing 
relation  to  reason,  for,  if  they  were  all  destroyed,  reason 
would  exis,  continuously  in  man  without  reference  to  them. 
The  rest  of  the  definition  is  bad,  since  no  one  faculty  is 
distinct  to  the  exclusion  of  others,  nor  is  there  a  uniform 
agreement  amongst  philosophers  on  the  divisions  of  the 
intellect.  The  most  comprehensive  definition  is  "  the  con- 
sciousness of  likeness  and  unlikeness,"  which  also  requires 
memory. 

Referring  again  to  the  mind's  sources  of  knowledge,  /.  e., 
the  senses,  the  feelings  caused  by  them  are  called  sensations. 
The  consciousness  of  a  sensation  and  its  cause  is  called  a 
perception.  This  has  been  concisely  illustrated  as  follows: 
"If  I  simply  smell  a  rose,  I  have  a  sensation;  if  I  refer 
that  smell  to  the  external  object  which  occasions  it,  I  have 
a  perception."  Now,  the  dog  has  the  power  of  sensation 
since  he  has  the  full  number  of  organs  of  sense,  and  has 
the  faculty  of  perception  since  he  can  discriminate  and  refer 
sensations  to  their  cause  conformably  with  the  special  func- 
tions of  each  sense — no  one  will  dispute  that  to  hit  a  dog 
with  a  whip,  or  to  let  him  smell  or  see  a  piece  of  meat,  or 
to  call  him  by  name,  will  cause  both  a  sensation  and  a  per- 
ception; but  to  grant  this  carries  with  it  a  concession  of 
knowledge  in  the  dog,  and  according  to  Prof.  Bain,  "All 
perception  or  knowledge  implies  mind."  With  respect  tc 


274  MODERN    TRAINING. 

knowledge,  Herbert  Spencer,  in  the  Principles  of  Psychology, 
concisely  refers  to  it  as  follows:  "  Knowledge  implies  some- 
thing known  and  something  which  knows'."  With  respect 
to  reasoning,  he  states  it  to  be  "the  indirect  establishment 
of  a  relation  between  two  things."  Now,  it  is  worthy  of 
remark  that  there  are  widely  different  grades  of  reasoning, 
some  being  very  simple,  others  extremely  complex.  The 
ability  to  recall  a  mental  picture  of  an  object  which  was  pre- 
viously known  by  perception  is  called  a  representation.  Be- 
yond a  few  representations  and  their  likenesses  and  unlike- 
nesses  some  minds  cannot  go;  others  can  grasp  vast  groups 
of  abstractions,  and  abstractions  of  abstractions,  with  ease. 
Undoubtedly  one  cause  which  largely  contributed  to  the 
mental  degradation  of  the  dog  from  his  true  position  in  the 
estimation  of  mankind  is  the  fact  that  he  can  have  no 
knowledge  unless  his  cognitions  have  been  derived  from 
direct  experience,  although  some  of  the  lower  races  of  man- 
kind have  not  much  higher  faculties.  To  illustrate,  a  man 
who  has  a  knowledge  of  language,  can  gain  a  mediate 
knowledge  of  a  certain  object  or  idea  by  a  description  of 
it;  but  a  succession  of  mental  objects  and  attributes  cannot 
be  brought  into  a  dog's  mind  by  language  except  in  the 
simplest  forms  of  representation.  The  order  Find  causes 
the  dog  to  hunt  diligently  for  a  dead  bird,  there  then  being 
undoubtedly  a  comprehension  of  the  meaning  of  the  word, 
learned  from  many  experiences;  but  by  having  direct  expe- 
rience, the  dog  has  a  respectable  scope  of  intelligence  and 
perception  of  cause  and  effect.  To  be  more  particular,  it 
may  be  illustrated  by  supposing  an  instance:  By  describing 
a  gun  and  its  uses  to  man,  through  the  medium  of  language, 
a  very  good  comprehension  of  it  can  be  given — the  dog 
cannot  have  such  mediate  knowledge;  only  by  direct  observ- 
ation in  practice  can  he  learn  its  uses.  The  fact  that  the 
dog  could  not  acquire  knowledge  by  any  mediate  means 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  275 

(and  therefore  its  absence  being  distinctly  unlike  the  fac- 
ulty of  man)  was  very  commonly  observed;  the  fact  that  he 
could  acquire  knowledge  by  individual  experience  was  ob- 
served by  but  a  few.  It  was  an  easy  deduction  that,  if  he 
could  not  have  a  full  cognition  like  mankind,  he  could  not 
have  any  at  all.  After  having  acquired  knowledge  by  di- 
rect experience  he  has  quite  an  admirable  reasoning  ability. 
Having  individual  experiences  every  day,  and  a  multitude 
of  very  complex  experiences  in  pursuit  of  game,  he  gathers 
a  vast  amount  of  abstract  knowledge  from  his  direct  expe- 
riences which  he  applies  with  an  accuracy  which  denotes  an 
understanding  of  means  to  ends.  In  referring  to  these  in- 
telligent acts,  those  who  deny  other  than  instinctive  acts  to 
the  dog  are  unable  to  frame  a  language  that  is  consistent 
with  their  belief;  they  are  forced  to  use  terms  relating  to 
reason.  They  properly  speak  of  a  dog's  judgment  in  con- 
ducting his  work;  his  quickness  in  learning;  his  knowledge 
of  how  to  apply  his  training,  etc. 

To  perceive  a  present  cause  and  effect  would  not  be  very 
advantageous  if  no  record  could  be  kept  of  it  in  the  mind. 
The  dog  has  a  memory  and  retains  an  intelligent  cognition 
of  his  experiences.  Innumerable  instances  of  memory 
could  be  cited,  but  it  is  a  fact  so  commonly  known  that  it 
needs  no  proof.  One  or  two,  however,  will  be  advanced. 
The  fact  that  a  trained  dog  shows  the  greatest  delight  when 
he  sees  his  owner  put  on  his  hunting  coat,  take  a  gun  in 
hand,  or  make  other  preparations  significant  of  a  hunt, 
shows  an  understanding  and  a  memory.  When  a  start  is 
made  he  may  lead  the  way  to  the  fields,  whereas,  ordinarily, 
he  might  lead  the  way  to  the  main  road.  Such  act  has  the 
full  implication  of  knowledge,  the  "  something  known  and 
the  something  which  knows."  The  memory  of  experiences 
of  former  states  of  consciousness  and  a  comprehension  of 
their  purposes  constitutes  abstract  knowledge.  The  appli- 


276  MODERN    TRAINING. 

cation  of  this  knowledge,  with  a  perception  of  means  to  ends, 
can  only  be  referred  to  a  rational  organization.  By  no  pos- 
sibility could  he  show  abstract  knowledge  derived  from  ex- 
perience if  his  faculties  were  limited  to  the  senseless  instinct- 
ive acts.  Certain  tones  on  the  whistle,  commands,  signals, 
expressions  of  countenance  of  the  owner,  changes  of  route, 
etc.,  are  understood,  and  are  succeeded  and  responded 
to  by  certain  rational  acts.  This  branch,  although  treated 
briefly  herein,  is  of  great  scope  in  physiology,  and  includes 
memory,  association  of  ideas,  cause  and  effect,  etc.  The 
saddling  or  harnessing  of  a  horse,  any  unusual  preparation, 
or  energy  of  action,  the  preparation  for  meals,  the  pur- 
poses of  methods  in  hunting  and  the  multitude  of  details 
of  domestic  life,  are  remembered  and  understood  if  the  dog 
has  had  opportunities  to  note  their  purposes — if  novel,  they 
excite  his  curiosity.  Any  unusual  occurrence,  even  if  tri- 
fling, will  entirely  change  the  current  of  the  dog's  thoughts 
and  actions;  acts  which  are  many  times  repeated  become 
habitual — he  has  favorite  places  to  sleep  in  daytime,  others 
at  night,  others  again  for  sunning  himself,  favorite  ways  of 
working  his  grounds,  circumventing  the  birds,  etc.  He 
quickly  discerns  such  acts  as  are  pleasurable  to  him,  and 
such  objects  as  are  worthy  of  pursuit.  Such  as  are  pleas- 
urable he  will  perform  voluntarily;  others  he  will  refuse  to 
perform,  or  perform  because  they  are  less  painful  than  re- 
fusal with  punishment. 

If,  when  hunting  in  the  field  with  another  dog,  the  latter 
false  points  a  few  times,  he  will  refuse  to  back  his  points 
thereafter,  showing  conclusively  that  he  observed  the  points 
were  purposeless,  and  the  refusal  to  back  showed  a  high  de- 
gree of  perception  and  reflection.  In  the  case  of  the  dog 
false  pointing,  and  the  other  one  refusing  to  back,  the  latter 
had  a  perception  of  subject  and  object  attributes  which  re- 
quired a  process  of  ratiocination.  It  was  a  combined  act 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  277 

caused  by  will,  memory,  perception  of  cause  and  effect, 
agreement  and  difference,  and  a  knowledge  of  its  valueless 
.results.  Instances  are  related  where  certain  dogs  would  not 
remain  with  a  shooter  who  missed  frequently.  All  dogs  will 
lose  interest  in  their  work  if  a  bird  is  not  shot  occasionally 
or  if  no  birds  are  found.  Dogs  which  have  been  properly 
raised  where  there  was  poultry  will  not  kill  them;  ones 
which  have  never  seen  poultry  will  hunt  and  kill  them 
eagerly — the  former  have  the  necessary  knowledge,  the 
latter  have  not.  Dogs  are  universally  susceptible  to  flattery 
and  approbation,  which  is  also  a  very  common  property  of 
high  intelligence. 

A  sensible  dog,  when  hunted  a  few  times  on  certain 
grounds,  learns  the  haunts  of  the  birds,  and,  when  hunting, 
will  go  from  one  haunt  to  another,  thus  showing  knowledge 
and  a  memory  of  no  mean  capacity.  If  a  trained  dog  is 
chained  while  his  master  goes  afield,  he  becomes  excited, 
barks  violently  and  endeavors  to  break  away  to  follow;  if  he 
fails,  he  utters  howls  of  grief  and  disappointment.  Mr.  S. 
T.  Hammond,  an  acknowledged  authority  on  dogs  and 
their  training,  in  his  admirable  work  entitled  Training  vs. 
Breaking,  says:  "Some  dogs  are  possessed  of  remarkable 
reasoning  faculties  and  appear  intuitively  to  understand  just 
what  you  wish,  while  others  are  slow  to  learn  and  require 
more  time  to  develop  their  latent  powers."  In  the  Ameri- 
can edition  of  Stonehenge,  entitled  "  The  Dogs  of  Great 
Britain  and  America,"  is  the  following  paragraph,  viz.:  "This 
last  (false  pointing)  was  from  a  want  of  mental  capacity,  for 
it  is  by  their  reasoning  powers  that  these  dogs  find  out 
when  they  have  made  a  mistake,  and  without  a  good  knowl- 
edge box  the  pointer  and  setter  are,  for  this  reason,  quite 
useless." 

Nor  are  the  acts  mechanical  during  the  primary  lessons. 
The  simple  fact  that  the  dog  can  comprehend  the  trainer's 


27-S  MODERN    TRAINING. 

purposes  proves  the  possession  of  pre-existing  mental  ca- 
pabilities. The  simple  act  of  carrying  an  object  to  the 
trainer,  in  compliance  with  an  order,  is  not  a  mechanical  and 
meaningless  act  on  the  part  of  the  dog,  as  is  commonly 
taught  and  believed.  The  act  is  in  full  accord  with  the  sum 
total  of  the  dog's  correlated  experience.  The  greater  num- 
ber of  the  rational  acts  of  life  are  devoted  to  seeking  that 
which  is  pleasurable  and  avoiding  that  which  is  painful.  In 
forcing  a  dog  to  retrieve,  the  trainer  unconsciously  considers 
his  own  complete  knowledge  as  a  standard,  overlooking  the 
fact  that  the  dog  cannot  know  the  full  application,  since  he 
has  not  had  a  full  experience.  When  a  dog  will  retrieve  an 
object  through  the  intermediate  effects  of  the  spike  collar 
or  other  means,  such  acts  are  intelligently  applied  in  ac- 
cordance with  his  associated  experience.  He  has  learned 
by  an  association  of  ideas  derived  from  special  experiences 
that  by  performing  certain  acts  in  a  certain  manner  he 
avoids  pain,  and  that  if  he  does  not  perform  such  acts  he 
suffers  pain.  The  mere  presentation  of  the  usual  retriev- 
able object  to  his  sight  after  the  necessary  experience  will 
cause  him  to  grasp  it  forthwith  without  either  command  or 
punishment;  in  this  act  is  shown  all  that  constitutes  the 
primary  attributes  of  mind,  a  consciousness  of  agreement 
and  difference,  and  a  memory.  Learning  to  retrieve  from 
the  application  of  force  requires  the  exercise  of  complex 
mental  processes  in  the  dog.  He  must  learn  to  grasp  the 
object  to  avoid  punishment;  a  new  element  is  introduced 
when  the  order  Fetch  is  associated  with  it.  The  association 
of  ideas,  although  apparently  simple  to  the  trainer,  are  com- 
plex, nevertheless,  for  there  is  a  discriminating  complex 
mental  process  distinguishable  in  the  intelligent  perform- 
ance of  the  act — the  dog,  after  a  brief  series  of  experiences, 
associates  a  certain  act  with  the  sight  of  a  certain  object, 
and  the  performance  or  non-performance  of  it  with  or 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  379 

without  pain  respectively;  next,  he  associates  the  act  with  a 
certain  sound,  called  a  command,  with  the  same  concomi- 
tants of  pain  or  its  absence;  next,  he  learns  to  perform  the 
act  in  a  certain  manner,  and  comprehends  the  relations  of 
the  different  elements;  thus  he  must  consider  the  object  to 
be  retrieved,  the  act  of  retrieving,  the  manner  of  perform- 
ing it,  the  command  to  perform  it,  the  painful  consequences 
of  non-performance,  the  freedom  from  pain  consequent  on 
performance  and  the  relations  of  the  different  parts.  Af- 
ter a  longer  or  shorter  time  contingent  on  the  intelligence 
and  willingness  of  the  dog,  skill  of  the  tutor,  etc.,  the  inter- 
mediate element  of  punishment  is  unnecessary,  and  he  asso- 
ciates the  performance  of  the  act  with  the  necessary  com- 
mand; thus  the  act  which  in  its  inception  was  associated 
with  punishment,  and  the  command  which  was  also  asso- 
C'ated  with  punishment,  are  then  associated  together  inde- 
pendently of  punishment.  His  acts  thus  intelligently  con- 
cur with  the  extent  of  his  experience,  and  as  it  enlarges,  his 
comprehension  expands  with  it. 

These  acts,  although  performed  intelligently,  are  com- 
monly attributed  to  an  association  of  ideas,  meaning  there- 
by that  they  are  not  arrived  at  by  any  process  of  reason;  but 
this  common  belief  is  erroneously  opposed  to  their  true 
meaning.  An  association  of  ideas  may  relate  to  a  percep- 
tion of  cause  and  effect  quite  as  much  as  to  two  material 
objects.  An  association  of  ideas  presupposes  the  existence 
of  ideas,  and  therefore  mind.  The  fact  that  the  dog  can 
comprehend  these  relations  as  they  apply  to  the  simple  act 
of  retrieving,  and,  when  subsequently  afforded  opportu- 
nities, comprehends  its  purposes  and  applies  it  intelligently  in 
actual  work,  cannot  be  ascribed  to  an  association  of  ideas 
which  are  independent  of  all  ideas;  nor  can  it  be  ascribed 
to  the  force  of  habit  called  mechanical.  Acts  which  are  so 
frequently  and  habitually  performed  as  to  be  done  without 


280  MODERN    TRAINING. 

thought  were  not  always  habitual.  All  acts  require  thought 
and  study  in  their  primal  stages  ;  only  by  long  continued 
repetition  do  they  become  habitual. 

When  the  gun  is  fired  and  the  dog  is  ordered  to  Find,  there 
is  then  an  exhibition  of  pure  mind.  There  is  no  bird  in 
sight.  Hunting  then  for  a  dead  bird,  he  shows  a  high 
degree  of  understanding,  and  deduction  of  effects  from 
causes. 

Some  of  the  common  acts  which  are  supposed  to  be  purely 
instinctive,  such  as  pointing  and  following  by  scent,  are,  in 
a  great  measure,  due  to  intelligence.  The  setter  and  pointer, 
when  they  first  start  a  rabbit,  follow  by  sight.  Only  by 
several  failures  do  they  learn  to  use  their  noses,  and  then 
they  learn  intelligently  by  degrees.  In  pointing  birds  the 
first  attempts  are  very  crude,  and  only  become  perfected  by 
many  opportunities.  Undoubtedly  they  chase  instinctively, 
but  knowledge  of  methods  only  comes  from  experience. 
Hounds  require  great  experience  to  solve  the  intricacies  of 
the  fox's  cunning,  and  the  most  irregular  capabilities  are 
shown  conformably  to  the  irregular  grades  of  intelligence. 
In  pursuit,  hounds  do  not  depend  entirely  on  the  nose  ;  if 
puzzled  they  will  make,  wide  detours  to  hit  off  the  trail,  thus 
trusting  to  their  brains.  Some  setters  and  pointers  will  go 
entirely  around  the  edge  of  a  field  to  hit  off  the  trail  of  any 
birds  that  have  entered  or  left  it  ;  if  puzzled  on  a  trail, 
they  make  a  wide  circular  cast  to  find  the  true  trail  ;  thus 
the  dog  does  not  wholly  depend  on  the  functional  powers  of 
nose  to  guide  him  in  pursuit  of  his  prey.  The  necessity  for 
experience  to  perform  good  field  work  is  known  to  all.  The 
difference  in  the  capabilities  of  two  dogs  of  equal  natural 
powers,  the  one  having  full  experience,  the  other  having 
none,  is  so  great  that  every  sportsman  has  observed  the  dis- 
parity. But  it  has  been  satisfactorily  shown  that  instinct 
requires  no  experience  ;  in  fact,  is  independent  of  it.  And 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  281 

it  has  been  shown  that  the  dog  has  the  phenomena  of  mind, 
but  must  have  his  abstract  knowledge  from  perception  of 
objective  phenomena.  It  could  be  shown  that  dogs  have 
an  understanding  of  each  other's  barks  and  actions  to  a  cer- 
tain degree,  but  such  would  not  add  to  the  force  of  what  has 
already  been  adduced.  The  subject  has  been  treated  in  its 
most  elementary  form  as  related  to  popular  observation. 
While  the  belief  of  a  mind  in  the  lower  animals  may  appear 
novel  to  some  readers,  it  is  respectably  ancient.  To  gain 
a  comprehensive  grasp  of  the  subject,  it  is  necessary  to  read 
many  voluminous  works  of  natural  history  and  metaphysics, 
besides  being  a  close  observer  of  nature. 

The  importance  of  the  subject  as  it  relates  to  the  educa- 
tion of  the  dog  is  apparent.  The  most  comprehensive  object 
experience  is  necessary  for  him  to  acquire  knowledge  ;  the 
commands  are  associated  with  objects  in  such  a  manner  that, 
when  re-presented  in  the  dog's  memory,  he  has  a  clear 
knowledge  of  their  meaning  ;  it  shows  the  absurdity  of  con- 
ducting a  training  on  a  theory  of  instinct ;  it  shows  that  the 
dog,  being  intelligent,  should  be  treated  kindly  to  develop 
his  best  effort ;  and  it  shows  the  fallacy  of  hastily  judging 
without  proper  investigation.  The  phenomena  enumerated 
by  no  means  include  all  that  is  peculiar  to  the  dog  ;  they 
are  simply  cited  for  illustration,  and  not  as  being  exhaustive. 


2&2  MODERN    TRAINING. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

FIELD    ETIQUETTE. 

There  is  no  recreation  which  has  more  wholesome,  pleas 
urable,  health-giving  properties  than  those  which  appertain 
to  the  dog  and  gun,  or  has,  in  its  reminiscent  phases,  more 
pleasant  memories  when  the  surroundings  were  pleasant  and 
companions  agreeable  ;  on  the  other  hand  there  is  none 
more  repulsive  if  marred  by  the  presence  of  a  selfish,  aggres- 
sive or  noisy  companion.  Many  accessory  details  contribute 
to  the  pleasure  of  the  sport — the  superb  performances  of  an 
intelligent  dog  ;  the  skill  and  knowledge  necessary  with 
respect  to  a  gun  ;  the  beautiful  in  nature  ;  the  exhilaration 
from  pure  air  and  freedom — all  have  their  full  share  in  mak- 
ing a  sum  total  of  pleasure  which  redounds  to  the  health 
and  happiness  of  the  sportsman. 

Nevertheless,  to  derive  the  highest  enjoyment  from  the 
sport  when  hunting  in  company,  certain  elementary  princi- 
ples of  meum  et  tuum  must  be  rigidly  observed,  otherwise  the 
sport  is  stripped  of  its  elegance  and  highest  enjoyment.  In 
no  place  are  conventionalities  more  necessary  than  where 
the  selfishness  of  all  is  directly  appealed  to  by  a  common 
pursuit. 

From  an  experience  with  all  sorts  and  degrees  of  sports- 
men, and  a  close  observance  of  the  individual  peculiar 
excellences  of  each,  the  author  has  confidence  in  his  ability 
to  frame  a  code  of  etiquette  wherein  will  be  aggregated  all  the 
perfections  which  constitute  the  refinements  of  ideal  sports- 
men. To  him  who  diligently  observes  them  will  come  all 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  283 

the  graces  of  a  Chesterfield.  They  will  also  greatly  add  to 
the  tyro's  opportunities  of  learning  how  to  deport  himself 
properly  in  the  company  of  other  sportsmen.  He  will  learn 
to  avoid  certain  offensive  violations  of  field  etiquette  to 
which  beginners — some  very  experienced  ones — are  prone  ; 
acts  which  derogate  from  otherwise  charming  companion- 
ableness.  Without  a  knowledge  of  the  unwritten  laws  and 
amenities  of  sportsmanship,  the  beginner,  whether  expe- 
rienced or  inexperienced,  will  infallibly  transgress  them, 
either  by  extreme  forwardness  or  backwardness,  or  both  ; 
for  a  painful  and  uncomfortable  excess  of  modesty,  or 
affectation  of  it,  is  quite  as  annoying,  and  at  times  as  dila- 
tory as  its  opposite.  Sport  which  would  be  most  pleasu- 
rable in  every  feature  under  polite  circumstances  may  be 
marred  or  spoiled  by  the  uncontrollable  selfishness  of  one 
companion.  If  a  set  of  rules  were  delicately  presented  to 
such  to  read,  with  certain  marked  passages  in  them  which 
happily  applied  to  his  case,  it  might  be  conducive  to  his 
improvement  if  he  were  not  so  self-complacent  as  to  pre- 
clude all  improving  innovations. 

There  are  very  few  surroundings  in  civilized  society 
which  will  develop  a  man's  real  nature  so  thoroughly  and 
accurately  as  shooting  in  company,  or  an  outing  in  camp. 
Under  ordinary  conditions,  a  man  has  two  or  three  natures, 
one  he  shows  to  the  world,  one  he  does  not,  and  one  which 
he  thinks  he  has.  Too  often  the  man  whose  nature  is  sunny 
when  he  is  surrounded  with  comforts  displays  the  most 
astonishing  and  unexpected  selfishness,  f  retfulness  or  aggres- 
siveness when  circumstances  afield  combine  to  his  discom- 
fort of  mind  or  body.  For  this  reason  the  experienced 
sportsman  is  very  careful  in  his  choice  of  company.  The 
man  who  is  careless  with  his  gun  ;  who  thinks  that  a  hunt  is 
synonymous  with  a  carousal ;  who  thinks  it  is  a  shooting 
competition  ;  who  thinks  it  is  solely  for  his  own  use  and 

19 


284  MODERN    TRAINING. 

behoof ;  who  thinks  that  the  pleasure  of  the  sport  is 
measured  alone  by  the  size  of  the  bag,  is  a  good  man  to 
encourage  to  go  hunting  with  someone  else. 

In  everyday  society,  there  are  certain  little  related  cir- 
cumstances which  it  may  be  proper  to  mention.  There  is 
no  harm  in  "  talking  dog,"  provided  that  a  man  chooses 
and  knows  his  proper  time,  place,  and  company  ;  then  it 
undoubtedly  is  edifying,  aesthetically  elevating  and  positively 
improving  ;  but  it  is  inexpressibly  wearisome  to  have  it  per- 
petually obtruded  into  every  conversation  in  every  com- 
pany, in  season  and  out  of  season.  If,  by  any  chance,  the 
company  drifts  away  into  the  conversation  from  the  dog 
topic,  the  enthusiast  is  unhappy  and  bides  his  time 
uneasily  to  again  divert  the  conversation  to  his  favorite 
theme,  not  always  with  the  happiest  tact  in  doing  so  or  the 
approbation  of  the  company  when  it  is  done. 

The  principles,  particularly  the  first  principles,  embodied 
in  these  rules  will  be  self-evident  to  those  who  read.  The 
author  has  seen  them  practiced  with  great  nicety  of  precision 
and  grace  of  manner  in  all  kinds  of  bird  shooting,  they 
being  adjusted  to  the  delicate  comprehensiveness  which 
should  co-exist  with  first  principles.  No  man  can  be  at  a 
loss  as  to  the  correct  caper  in  etiquette  who  has  a  copy  of 
these  rules,  whether  in  respect  to  his  deportment  as  a  guest, 
a  companion  or  a  tutor  ;  all  this  from  a  sportsman's  point  of 
view. 

Having  thus  explained  at  some  length  the  necessities  and 
benefits  of  them,  and  knowing  the  advantages  to  sportsman- 
ship that  will  accrue  from  their  general  observance,  they  are 
herewith  given  : 

As  an  essential  principle,  one  which  forms  a  broad  ground- 
work for  many  other  admirable  qualities,  you  should  begin 
and  conduct  your  career  on  the  assumption  that  you  know 
everything  appertaining  to  the  dog  and  gun,  a  sportsman's 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  285 

encyclopedia;  and  let  your  actions  and  discourse  be  consist- 
ent therewith.  Hold  tenaciously  to  your  opinions.  There 
are  many  sportsmen  whose  cuticle  and  epidermis  are  so 
thick,  tough  and  flinty,  having  such  copious  layers  upon 
layers  and  folds  upon  folds,  that  no  rules  bearing  on 
the  subject  can  be  made  of  sufficient  acuteness  to  be  know- 
able  to  their  consciousness.  So  entirely  are  they  in  the 
murky  clouds  of  their  own  selfishness  that  they  do  not  dis- 
cern the  loss  of  respect  or  the  contempt,  the  character  of 
hoggishness  which  they  justly  suffer  in  the  estimation  of 
hunting  companions,  and  as  for  perceiving  their  own  low 
grade  of  sportsmanship  themselves,  it  is  not  to  be  hoped  for, 
for  it  is  very  difficult  to  correct  nature  by  art. 

When  you  are  the  guest  of  a  friend,  give  your  dog  the 
freedom  of  his  parlor.  Tell  him  how  much  you  love  your 
dog,  and  let  your  manner  be  slightly  austere  ;  this  will  be 
sufficient  reason  for  turning  his  home  into  a  kennel. 

After  completing  your  visit  and  therefore  having  enjoyed 
the  hospitalities  and  shooting  afforded  by  your  host,  tell 
your  friends  and  acquaintances  that  his  dogs  are  worthless  ; 
that  your  own  dogs  completely  and  uniformly  defeated  them; 
that  you  beat  your  host  shooting  day  in  and  day  out,  and 
that  he  is  an  overrated  sportsman  in  every  respect.  Your 
host  may  have  refrained  from  shooting,  or  may  have  given 
you  all  the  shooting  because  you  were  a  guest ;  nevertheless, 
imply  that  the  whole  visit  was  a  hot  competition  from  start 
to  finish.  Your  host,  being  solicitous  for  your  comfort  and 
pleasure,  never  dreamed  of  such  ;  but  amiably  construe  his 
forbearance  and  courtesy  to  inability.  You  might,  as  an 
exhibition  of  tact  and  observational  powers,  criticise 
adversely  every  failing  you  could  perceive  in  his  dogs.  You 
might  even  do  this  for  the  edification  of  your  host  personally. 
It  would  be  a  very  gentlemanly  return  for  his  hospitality 
and  care. 


286  MODERN    TRAINING. 

When  you  visit  a  friend  whom  you  know  is  always  plenti- 
fully provided  with  cartridges,  make  it  a  special  point  to  for- 
get yours,  and  as  a  guest  you  are  sure  to  be  supplied.  Talk 
genially  in  respect' to  replacing  them  at  some  indeterminate 
time  in  futurity.  By  using  them,  you  will  demonstrate  your 
confidence  in  your  friend's  loading,  and  if  you  make  several 
successful  shots  you  can  delicately  ascribe  them  to  the 
superiority  of  his  cartridges.  Several  sportsmen  who  under- 
stand this  art,  reinforced  with  skill  in  the  art  of  borrowing, 
make  some  very  beneficial  gains  in  financial  economy  by 
their  wiles  and  nerve  every  season.  It  is  a  trait  worthy  of 
note. 

If  your  friend  has  a  bevy  scattered  nicely,  thus  affording 
several  nice  shots,  forthwith  abandon  your 'own  range  and 
go  to  him,  get  into  the  thick  of  the  swim,  and  help  him  to 
kill  all  that  you  can.  Often  friends  need  help,  and  it  is 
surely  friendly  to  then  give  it.  If  you  have  a  bevy  similarly 
scattered  yourself,  keep  the  matter  to  yourself.  You  do  not 
need  any  help,  and  besides,  you  are  the  best  judge  of  the 
situation. 

If  you  have  been  fortunate  in  marking  birds  which  your 
friend,  who  is  in  company  with  you,  did  not  see,  send  him  a 
few  yards  away  to  hunt  in  the  place  where  they  are  not. 
When  you  flush  and  kill  them,  tell  him  that  they  ran  from 
the  place  where  you  marked  them,  and  that  you  are  grieved 
that  he  did  not  get  the  shots.  It  is  so  subtle  that  your 
friend  will  not  detect  it,  hence  you  can  play  the  trick 
repeatedly. 

If.  your  friend's  dog  points  a  bevy,  mention  an  incident 
respecting  your  own  dog,  namely,  that  he  smelt  them  a  short 
time  before  and  was  taking  a  cast  to  them,  be  the  same  long 
or  short,  when  your  friend's  dog  stupidly  pointed  them.  Let 
this  incident  occur  in  unbroken  succession  with  every  point, 
and  be  sure  to  mention  it.  What  your  dog  did  in  your  mind 


BREAKING    AND     HANDLING.  387 

in  the  abstract  should  certainly  be  more  meritorious  than 
what  your  friend's  dog  did  in  reality,  the  fancy  more  than 
the  fact. 

Be  officious  and  obstinate  in  arranging  the  route  and  its 
details.  Make  your  companion's  route  subservient  to  yours. 
Suggest  to  him  how  he  will  work  his  dog.  When  he  sends 
his  dog  to  retrieve  suffer  yours  to  go  also  ;  two  dogs  do  so 
much  better  than  one.  Your  friend  may  wish  you  under  the 
dominion  of  the  somber  personage  who  presides  over  the 
destinies  of  the  adverse  orthodox  hereafter,  but  you  will 
have  the  sublime  pleasure  of  your  own  will. 

Watch  patiently  and  ceaselessly  for  an  opportunity  to  kill 
a  bird  which  your  companion  misses.  When  you  succeed 
in  "wiping  his  eye,"  give  full  and  hilarious  play  to  your 
pent  up  feelings  of  exhilaration.  Tell  him  you  wiped  his 
eye.  Tell  your  friends  and  his  friends  of  it.  Within  the 
following  weeks  refer  to  the  fact  that  you  wiped  his  eye. 
In  every  conversation  introduce  some  topic  that  will  craftily 
lead  up  to  the  opportunity  of  repeating  that  you  wiped  his 
eye.  Thus  you  will  exalt  yourself  as  is  your  due,  give  full 
play  to  your  excusable  vanity  simultaneously  with  an  amiable 
exposition  of  your  friend's  unskillfulness.  The  time-honored 
custom  of  "  wiping  his  eye  "  is  obsolescent,  but  there  is  a 
worthy  class  which  cherishes  it  as  the  sweetest  morsel  of 
field  sports,  and  such  should  be  duly  revered  for  their 
numbers. 

Assume  an  excessive  affectation  of  modesty  when  the 
dog  is  pointing  and  your  friend  invites  you  to  step  forward 
and  shoot.  He  will  appreciate  it,  particularly  if  the  dog  has 
been  pointing  a  long  while,  or  the  birds  are  running.  If 
you  do  go  forward,  step  closely  and  gingerly,  and  act  as  if 
you  expected  to  flush  a  flock  of  rattlesnakes.  It  is  very 
interesting  to  watch  the  extreme  caution  observed  by  some 
in  flushing  birds  when  no  caution  is  necessary  or  desirable. 


288  MODERN    TRAINING. 

The  delay,  however,  has  some  advantages — it  will  give  the 
birds  an  opportunity  to  run  still  further,  thereby  affording 
excellent  practice  to  the  dog,  particularly  if  the  day  is  hot ; 
providing  that,  from  being  disturbed,  the  birds  do  not  rise 
out  of  range.  Remember  that  the  companion  who,  from  a 
misconception  of  correct  field  etiquette,  confounds  obstruc- 
tive delays  with  the  purest  ray  serene  of  politeness  is  an 
educator ;  he  educates  his  friends  into  shyness  of  his  field 
society. 

Carry  your  loaded  gun  lightly  and  gracefully  resting  in 
the  elbow,  the  barrels  in  a  parallel  line  with  the  surface  of 
the  ground.  Keep  them  pointed  at  your  companion.  If 
your  gun  is  cocked,  as  is  frequently  the  style  of  some  very 
good  sportsmen  who  are  authorities  on  this  point,  it  will  add 
materially  to  the  potency  of  the  act.  If  your  companion 
silently  shifts  his  position  to  the  opposite  side,  immediately 
shift  your  gun  likewise.  If  he  suggests  that  the  gun  causes 
him  disquietude,  or  is  offensively  threatening,  beg  his  par- 
don, at  the  same  time  assume  a  mildly  injured  and  strained 
air,  assure  him  that  you  are  noted  for  handling  a  gun  with 
unceasing  care  and  watchfulness,  nevertheless  change  the 
position  of  the  gun  to  oblige  him — in  two  minutes  have  it 
back  in  its  usual  place,  bearing  on  your  friend  with  the  same 
unceasing  care  and  watchfulness.  In  walking  through  cover 
carry  your  gun  on  your  shoulder,  and  let  the  muzzle  point 
squarely  in  your  friend's  face  when  he  is  walking  behind 
you. 

When  hunting  with  an  experienced  sportsman,  if  you 
happen  to  see  his  dog  pointing,  be  sure  to  call  his  attention 
to  the  fact.  If  he  appears  indifferent  repeat  it  two  or  three 
times;  eventually  he  may  understand  you.  This  is  particu- 
larly apropos  if  you  are  out  with  a  professional  trainer. 
The  chances  are  a  thousand  to  one- that  he  saw  the  point 
before  you  did,  probably  saw  the  first  signs  the  dog  made  of 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING,  289 

the  recognition  of  the  scent,  but  you  will  save  yourself  from 
any  suspicion  of  dullness.  The  proper  form  to  observe  is 
to  exclaim  :  There  he  is!  HE'S  GOT.  EM  !  If  the  birds  are  at 
all  wild  or  the  dog  timid,  it  is  well  to  repeat  this  three  or 
four  times  in  louder  tones. 

Every  time  you  miss  a  bird,  stop  and  explain  in  elaborate 
detail  just  how  excusably  you  did  it.  It  will  show  that 
the  miss,  although  a  miss,  was  a  commendable  miss,  and  was 
made  under  such  peculiar  disadvantages  of  bad  cartridges, 
ones  either  with  the  shot  left  out  or  which  dropped  out ;  or 
no  wads  between  powder  and  shot  ;  or  bad  powder  ;  hang 
fire  ;  aberration  in  the  gun,  it  having  too  long,  too  straight 
or  too  crooked  a  stock,  or  is  not  balanced  properly  ;  or  the 
dog  did  not  work  just  right ;  or  the  birds  flushed  in  an 
unusual  manner  ;  or  your  friend  stood  in  the  wrong  place — 
on  the  whole,  the  miss  being  so  nicely  executed,  under 
adverse  circumstances,  that  it  unquestionably  is  superior  to 
a  clean  kill.  The  sportsman  cannot  go  wrong  on  any  or  all 
of  these  reasons,  as  they  are  sanctioned  by  common  usage  in 
some  very  good  circles.  Your  friend,  however,  will  merely 
consider  that  you  made  a  plain,  unornamented  miss  ;  yet  he 
will  be  delighted  to  listen  to  the  descriptions  and  excuses 
after  every  miss.  The  manly  reason  of  want  of  skill  or 
error  would  concisely  settle  the  matter,  and  your  friend 
would  then  indorse  your  reason.  Some  very  good  sports- 
men avoid  the  trouble  of  excuses  or  reasons  by  rolling  out 
a  voluminous,  sonorous,  full-fledged  oath.  It  usually 
appears  to  be  in  the  nature  of  a  soliloquy  and  probably  is 
due  to  an  excess  of  self-consciousness. 

If  you  are  hunting  from  horseback,  and  your  friend's  dog 
gets  in  front  of  you,  ride  over  him  if  he  happens  to  stop  ;  or 
reach  over  and  give  him  a  vigorous  poke  in  the  ribs  with 
the  muzzle  of  your  loaded  gun. 

Carry  your  gun  loaded  when  on  horseback  or  in  a  wagon. 


290  MODERN    TRAINING. 

It  will  conduce  to  your  friend's  peace  of  mind.  If  he 
requests  you  to  unload,  take  offence.  You  are  perfectly 
competent  to  handle  a  loaded  gun,  even  if  the  horses  should 
run  away,  the  wagon  upset,  or  break  down,  etc. 

Blow  your  whistle  and  give  loud  orders  continually.  Keep 
the  dog  going  to  every  likely  place  but  the  place  he  is  in. 
Have  five  or  six  places  that  you  desire  him  to  work  in  at  the 
same  time.  Claim,  with  great  show  of  firmness,  all  the  birds 
you  can.  If  your  friend's  dog  points  when  you  are  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  away,  call  loudly  to  your  friend  asking 
him  to  wait.  It  will  be  a  great  pleasure  to  wait,  and  make 
the  pleasure  divided  a  pleasure  doubled. 

When  you  walk  up  to  your  friend's  dog  which  is  on  a 
point  or  back,  never  under  any  circumstances  fail  to  have 
your  gun,  with  your  fingers  on  the  triggers,  pointed  down- 
ward toward  the  dog,  and  as  you  walk  around  him,  keep  the 
gun  bearing  on  him.  In  the  few  known  instances  in  which 
the  gun  discharged  prematurely,  the  dog  was  killed  outright, 
hence  there  is  no  doubt  of  the  effectiveness  of  the  method. 

If  your  friend  has  one  day  only  in  which  to  hunt,  by  all 
means  try  to  make  it  entertaining.  Narrate  some  long- 
winded  yarns  of  what  you  have  done  on  some  previous 
occasion.  Become  intensely  absorbed  in  the  narration, 
stop  your  friend  so  that  he  can  listen  better,  and  let  the  dogs 
go  on.  Your  friend  can  have  no  greater  delight  than  in 
devoting  three-quarters  of  his  time  to  listening  to  some 
gross,  highly-colored,  apocryphal  stories  of  self-glorifi- 
cation. 

If  the  dog  is  on  a  point  or  back,  be  sure  to  walk  straight 
over  him  as  you  go  forward  to  flush  the  birds.  There  is 
unlimited  space  between  a  pointing  dog  and  the  horizon, 
but  there  might  be  some  time  lost  if  you  deviate  a  finger 
breadth  from  a  right  line.  The  writer  has  seen  this  done 
with  great  nicety  many  times,  much  to  the  credit  of  the  per- 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLINJG.  29! 

former's  determination  to  kill.  It  is  particularly  beneficial 
to  puppies  or  timid  dogs. 

Point  your  gun  at  a  companion  at  times.  It  is  a  del- 
icate, friendly  familiarity,  and  the  distress,  anxiety  or 
fear  produced  will  be  intensely  amusing  and  refreshing. 
Your  friend  may  be  killed,  yet  the  possibility  should  not 
be  considered.  A  friend  who  will  not  submit  to  some 
danger  and  distress  for  the  diversion  of  a  friend  is  not  worth 
having.  If  fatal,  it  is  only  one  more  added  to  the  list  of 
"didn't  mean  to,"  or  " didn't  know  it  was  loaded."  Many 
true  sportsmen  justly  consider  the  trick  as  being  one  of  the 
most  loutish  and  ruffianly  that  is  possible,  be  the  standing 
otherwise  of  the  perpetrator  what  it  may.  The  joker  may 
know  that  the  gun  is  not  loaded,  but  the  jokee  cannot  pos- 
sibly know  it,  and  the  long  lists  of  homicides  from  similar 
acts  do  not  tend  to  allay  his  fears.  No  man  can  be  consid- 
ered a  true  friend  who  will  wantonly  terrify  a  friend,  or  jeop- 
ardize his  life  for  amusement. 

Always  shoot  on  your  friend's  side  of  a  bevy.  It  is  an 
unnecessary  refinement  to  shoot  on  your  own  side,  although 
the  practice  is  much  in  vogue  amongst  skillful  sportsmen. 
If  you  are  a  poor  shot  but  a  good  and  consistent  claimer 
of  birds,  it  will  add  materially  to  your  success. 

Always  make  what  should  be  a  jointly  pleasant  hunt  a 
keen  competition  or  race.  Banter  your  friend  for  a  wager 
that  you  can  beat  him  shooting;  that  your  dog  can  beat  his 
dog,  and  that  your  gun  will  shoot  better  than  his — tell  him 
so  repeatedly.  He  will  love  you  dearly  for  many  qualities 
which  hogs  have  not. 

Make  the  fields  resonant  with  your  loquacity.  Nothing 
is  pleasanter  or  more  conducive  to  success  than  an 
eternally  prattling  companion,  particularly  in  cold,  rainy  or 
windy  weather,  when  the  birds  are  extremely  wild.  If  you 
observe  that  your  talk  flushes  the  birds,  you  then  have  a 


MODERN    TRAINING. 


subject  of  discourse  for  half  an  hour  in  assuring  your  com- 
panion that  you  know  your  talk  did  it,  and  you  regret  it  so 
much. 

Take  the  first  shot  invariably,  and  all  of  them  if  you  can. 
You  will  be  loved  for  acquisitive  qualities  common  to  cer- 
tain domestic  animals  aforementioned.  When  you  wish  to 
go  hunting,  borrow  your  friend's  gun  and  dog  if  you  can. 
Ask  permission  to  go  hunting  with  your  friend;  for  you  can 
safely  assume  that  one  of  two  propositions  is  true,  namely: 
If  your  friend  desired  your  company,  he  would  invite  you; 
if  you  desire  to  go,  you  ask  permission  or  cheerfully  invite 
yourself — now,  if  you  are  wrong,  you  are  the  next  thing  to 
being  right,  which  is  a  very  good  average — and  a  friend  is 
no  advantage  if  you  cannot  use  him. 

Always  inspect  your  friend's  gun.  Open  it  and  peer 
through  the  barrels,  then  slam  it  together.  Cock  it,  pull 
the  triggers,  and  snap  it.  Open  it  and  slam  it  again.  To 
do  this  correctly  according  to  honored  usage,  it  must  be  re- 
peated six  times  at  least,  assuming  a  becoming  look  of 
idiocy  during  the  performance;  thus  you  will  show  that  you 
know  all  about  guns. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  293 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

QUAILS,    SNIPE,    RUFFED  GROUSE    AND    WOODCOCK. 

A  description  of  the  peculiarities  of  these  birds  will  be 
confined  to  such  limits  as  relate  to  the  training  and  hand- 
ling of  the  dog. 

The  game  birds  commonly  called  quails  in  the  North  and 
partridges  in  the  South  are  far  superior  to  all  others  for 
training  purposes.  Their  greater  numbers,  general  distri- 
bution, habits  and  habitat  render  them  unequaled,  al- 
.though  certain  sections  from  various  causes  may  possess 
disadvantages.  In  many  sections  of  New  England  and  the 
Middle  States,  where  the  country  is  hilly  and  broken, 
swamps  and  thickets  numerous,  and  the  birds  frequently  dis- 
turbed by  shooters,  quail  shooting  is  pursued  under  many 
difficulties.  From  two  to  eight  or  ten  bevies  are  about  all 
that  can  be  found  in  a  day  of  diligent  seeking,  the  latter 
number  being  a  very  unusual  one.  In  the  Western  States 
the  shooting  is  less  difficult,  and  the  birds  far  more  numer- 
ous, although  the  country  is  so  vast  and  diversified  that  the 
character  of  the  shooting  varies  greatly  in  different  sections. 

Quail  shooting  in  the  South  is  the  shooting  par  excel- 
lence, the  climate,  topography  and  food  supply  all  favoring 
the  existence  and  multiplication  of  the  birds.  When  the 
close  season  begins  at  the  North  enforced  by  statute  law, 
and  the  still  more  stringent  laws  of  Nature,  manifested  in 
the  severe  winters,  quail  shooting  in  the  South  is  then  in  its 
prime.  Usually  the  open  season  is  limited  to  two  or  three 
months  in  the  North,  and  many  sections  are  periodically 


294 


MODERN    TRAINING. 


forced  to  protect  their  birds  for  two  or  three  years  at  a 
time,  in  consequence  of  the  enormous  destruction  caused 
by  occasional  severe  winters.  In  the  South,  the  season 
legally  opens  about  September  i,  and  closes  about  March  or 
April  i,  thus  affording  six  or  seven  months  of  an  open  sea- 
son. The  best  months,  however,  are  November,  December, 
January,  February  and  March. 

A  knowledge  of  their  habits  is  of  prime  importance  to  the 
best  success.  Quails  are  early  risers,  and  he  who  wishes  to 
get  the  best  shooting  or  the  most  opportunities  for  his  dogs 
in  a  given  time  will  be  none  too  early  if  he  is  afield  by  the 
break  of  day.  In  the  hot  days  of  September,  October,  and 
early  November,  it  is  necessary,  in  training,  to  be  abroad 
early  in  the  morning,  or  in  the  cool  part  of  the  evening. 
During  the  winter,  months  the  trainers  can  find  sufficient 
birds  for  their  purpose  in  any  part  of  the  day.  From 
twelve  to  thirty  bevies  are  about  the  number  that  can  be 
found  in  a  day  in  the  best  sections,  and  from  twenty  to  one 
hundred  birds  reward  the  efforts  of  the  shooter.  The  birds 
are  usually  plentiful  enough  every  season,  but  when  a  sea- 
son is  exceptionally  favorable  for  breeding,  they  abound  in 
great  numbers.  Quail  shooting  in  the  South  may  be  said 
to  be  strictly  upland  shooting,  differing  in  this  respect  from 
the  like  shooting  in  the  East,  where  the  birds  go  to  dense, 
wet  swamps  at  the  first  flight,  and  where  it  is  necessary  to 
pursue  and  diligently  seek  for  them,  if  the  success  of  the 
•  bag  is  duly  observed. 

In  the  South,  the  immense  plantations,  with  their  large 
sedge  fields,  plum  thickets,  cornfields,  woods,  large  fallow 
fields  covered  with  weeds,  afford  haunts  for  the  birds,  and 
the  pea-patches  and  fields,  sorghum  fields,  corn  and  wheat 
fields,  Japanese  clover,  etc.,  furnish  an  abundant  food  sup- 
ply during  the  fall,  winter  and  spring.  The  habits  of  the 
birds  are  variable  according  to  the  means  of  supplying  their 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  295 

necessities.  Early  in  the  season  the  wheat  stubbles,  the 
edges  of  corn  or  cotton  fields,  the  vicinity  of  plum  thickets, 
or  along  the  edges  of  woods,  or  in  the  woods,  are  promising 
places  to  hunt,  and  occasionally  they  will  be  found  in  the 
most  unexpected  places.  Early  in  the  morning,  the  peculiar 
whistling  cry  of  "bob-white  !  bob  white  !"  can  be  heard  in 
many  directions  far  and  near  on  a  Southern  plantation,  and 
the  peculiar  note  is  a  guide  many  times  to  the  whereabouts 
of  the  birds.  Later  the  sorghum  patches  are  favorite  resorts, 
the  birds  being  very  fond  of  the  seeds.  In  the  last  of  No- 
vember and  in  December  and  January,  the  open  sedge  fields, 
along  the  plum  thickets  and  the  edge  of  woods,  in  fact  any- 
where except  the  bare  fields,  are  good  hunting  places  if  the 
weather  continues  open  and  mild.  When  the  cold  days  set  in, 
there  is  an  immediate  change  of  habits.  In  January  and  Feb- 
ruary the  birds  usually  abandon  the  open  fields,  if  the 
weather  is  inclement,  for  the  woods,  such  as  have  a  good 
growth  of  sedge  being  preferred,  although  in  the  extreme 
South  there  is  not  much  variation  in  their  habits,  the  tem- 
perature rarely  being  so  low  as  the  freezing  point.  The 
Southern  bird  is  quite  as  strong  and  rapid  in  flight  as  his 
Northern  congener. 

In  the  South,  the  dog  can  have  an  education  that  will  fit 
him  for  work  in  any  section,  in  open  and  cover,  bevies  and 
scattered  birds,  and  he  can  be  taught  to  work  wide  or  close. 
The  varying  habits  and  increased  cunning  of  the  birds,  as 
cold  weather  approaches,  require  that  the  dog  should  be 
intelligent  and  observing  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  their 
habits.  A  manner  of  work  which  might  be  eminently  suc- 
cessful on  a  mild,  quiet  day  might  be  wholly  inefficient  in 
cold,  rainy,  or  windy  weather.  Changes  from  settled  to 
unsettled  weather  in  the  late  fall  and  winter  months  always 
make  the  birds  wilder  and  warier. 

Usually,  in  the  South,  the  trainer  or  sportsman  hunts  from 


296  MODERN    TRAINING. 

horseback,  or  has  a  wagon  to  follow  convenient  roads 
through  the  plantations,  thus  having  a  conveyance  for  a 
relay  of  dogs.  With  a  good  horse,  a  trainer  can  train  ten 
or  twelve  dogs  during  the  summer  and  fall,  and  about  eight 
or  ten  in  the  winter.  This  number  entails  a  great  deal  of 
hard  work,  however;  one  or  two  dogs,  if  backward,  may 
greatly  increase  the  difficulty.  Hunting  from  horseback  is 
the  superior  method.  The  cartridges,  game  bag  and  lunch 
can  be  tied  to  the  saddle.  The  hunter  rides  while  his  dog 
is  ranging  for  covies.  From  the  elevated  position  he  can 
see  the  movements  of  the  dog«  a  long  distance  away.  If  he 
points  in  sedge  grass  and  is  concealed,  it  is  for  the  same 
reason  much  easier  to  find  him.  When  the  dog  points,  the 
hunter  rides  to  within  forty  or  fifty  yards,  throws  the  bridle 
rein  over  the  horse's  head  to  the  ground,  or  a  lariat  is 
fastened  to  his  neck  and  thrown  on  the  ground,  then  he 
flushes  and  shoots.  The  scattered  birds  are  then  followed 
and  good  work  obtained,  if  they  do  not  fly  to  dense  cover. 
After  finishing  work  on  the  scattered  birds  the  hunter 
mounts  and  resumes  the  hunt  for  bevies. 

Good  hunting  horses  are  not  plentiful ;  very  few  have  the 
necessary  requirements,  namely,  gentleness,  endurance, 
intelligence,  a  good  saddle  gait  and  steadiness  to  the  gun. 
A  first  class  horse  will  also  remain  in  the  place  where  he  is 
left  in  a  field  till  the  hunter  returns;  this  by  simply  dismount- 
ing and  leaving  him  to  his  freedom.  A  fast  walk  and  a  good 
fox  trot  are  the  best  gaits  that  a  hunting  horse  can  have  for 
this  kind  of  work;  and  it  is  no  demerit  to  him  if  he  can 
jump  a  wide  ditch  or  high  fence.  The  introduction  of  wire 
fences  in  the  South  obstructs  free  riding  in  some  sections, 
yet  the  plantations  are  so  large  that  the  fencing  is  of  no  spe- 
cial consequence. 

A  peculiarity  of  quails,  /'.  e.,  holding  their  scent  at  times 
when  they  light  after  being  flushed,  is  a  source  of  bewilder- 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  297 

ment  to  the  novice.  This  peculiarity  is  not  as  frequently 
observable  as  is  asserted  by  some  writers.  After  marking  a 
bevy  accurately  after  flushing  it,  the  trainer  may  be  unable 
to  find  a  single  bird.  The  dog  will  take  his  casts  to  and 
fro,  wholly  unconscious  of  the  proximity  of  birds.  If,  un- 
der these  circumstances,  the  hunter  will  walk  away  to  a 
proper  distance  and  keep  quiet  until  the  birds  begin  to  call, 
he  can  then  return  and  secure  point  after  point. 

Quails  are  so  plentiful,  their  haunts  so  permanent,  the 
grounds  so  favorable  for  watching  the  work  of  a  dog  and 
for  walking  or  riding;  the  birds  are  so  game  and  cunning, 
yet  withal  so  nicely  adapted  to  the  intelligent  capabilities  of 
the  dog,  that  it  is  not  surprising  that  they  are  the  game 
birds,  facile  princeps,  in  the  estimation  of  the  professional 
trainer. 

Ruffed  grouse,  while  requiring  a  high  grade  of  skill  in 
both  hunter  and  shooter,  are  very  poor  for  training  pur- 
poses; the  conditions  of  dense  cover,  extreme  wariness  of 
the  birds  at  all  times,  and  their  limited  number  and  habitat, 
really  make  the  training  a  special  one,  /.  e.,  the  dog  has  to 
be  taught  to  range  close  to  the  shooter,  and  to  road  with 
greater  caution  and  deliberation;  the  dogs  are  extremely 
rare  which  can  hunt  ruffed  grouse  at  a  fast  pace;  such  dogs 
necessarily  have  superior  intelligence. 

The  woodcock  is  not  worthy  of  consideration  in  dog 
training.  The  superiority  of  the  shooting  in  the  North  is 
chiefly  due  to  its  being  summer  shooting,  to  the  scarcity  of 
the  birds,  and  to  the  imagination  of  the  shooter.  In  the 
last  of  December  and  early  January,  woodcock  congregate 
in  vast  numbers  in  the  woods  of  Louisiana,  and  other  sec- 
tions near  the  Southern  coast,  frequenting  such  places  as 
have  an  undergrowth  of  clumps  of  briers,  brush  and  patches 
of  switch  cane,  or  in  woods  which  are  comparatively  open 
if  the  feeding  grounds  in  that  section  are  good.  The  most 


298  MODERN    TRAINING. 

difficult  grounds  in  that  section  are  far  easier  to  shoot  on 
than  the  most  favorable  grounds  in  the  North.  At  such 
times  as  the  shooting  is  at  its  best,  from  forty  to  eighty  birds 
can  be  killed  by  a  single  gun  in  a  day.  In  the  author's  ex- 
perience, and  he  noted  the  same  results  with  others,  the 
sport  became  very  uninteresting  after  the  novelty  wore  off, 
and  quail  shooting  had  the  preference.  The  birds  being 
migratory,  the  shooting  is  consequently  very  uncertain, 
The  dog  must  be  trained  to  work  very  close  to  the  gun  and 
the  more  intelligence  he  has,  the  better.  Some  shooters 
put  a  small  bell  on  the  dog  when  hunting  woodcock  and 
ruffed  grouse,  the  gentle  tinkle  constantly  giving  warning 
of  the  whereabouts  of  the  dog. 

For  training  purposes,  snipe  are  very  unsatisfactory, 
owing  to  their  erratic  habits  and  migratory  nature.  On  a 
windy  or  cloudy  day,  or  a  cold  day  succeeding  warm  ones, 
they  are  extremely  wild,  and  in  most  instances  rise  out  of 
shot,  rising  skyward  with  great  swiftness,  and  flying  out 
of  sight.  If  the  dog  manages  to  secure  a  point  during  the 
prevalence  of  such  weather,  the  bird  usually  flushes  at 
extremely  long  range  or  out  of  range.  On  warm,  quiet 
days,  or  days  when  there  is  a  gentle,  mild  breeze,  the  birds 
will  lie  very  close,  particularly  if  they  have  good  feeding 
grounds  and  are  fat.  Their  flight  then  is  slow  and  lazy, 
their  bills  hang  pendulously,  and  the  flight  usually  is  short, 
sometimes  but  a  few  yards.  When  shooting,  the  better  way 
when  the  bird  is  marked  is  to  walk  it  up,  keeping  the  dog 
at  heel.  Snipe  generally  rise  and  fly  a  longer  or  shorter 
distance  against  the  wind,  hence  a  skillful  hunter  makes  it 
a  rule  to  walk  down  wind  on  them;  but  on  warm  days,  or 
when  the  birds  are  fat,  it  is  immaterial  how  they  are 
approached,  so  far  as  the  wind  is  concerned.  On  favorite 
feeding  grounds  if  they  are  of  fair  size,  they  may  be  suc- 
cessfully worked  again  and  again  if  the  weather  is  favorable 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  299 

and  birds  plentiful,  the  flushed  birds  taking  a  short  flight 
and  dropping  back  of  the  shooter;  others  come  in  to  feed. 
They  are  the  most  uncertain  of  game  birds  in  their  habits, 
even  in  settled  weather.  Grounds  which  contained  large 
numbers  one  day  may  have  but  one  or  two  birds  the  next, 
or  none  at  all.  At  times  they  are  the  easiest  of  birds  for 
the  dog  to  point,  or  the  sportsman  to  kill;  at  other  time? 
they  are  incomparably  difficult.  They  change  their  feeding 
grounds  frequently  without  any  appreciable  cause,  sometimes 
favoring  the  meadows,  at  others  the  wet  uplands,  plowed 
fields,  or  margins  of  small  ponds. 

The  snipe  shooting  of  the  North  is  a  very  insignificant 
affair  when  compared  to  that  of  Louisiana  and  Texas.  It 
is  near  their  Southern  migratory  limit  and  they  congregate 
in  vast  numbers,  and  the  large  prairies  and  fields  afford 
ample  feeding  grounds  for  them.  After  the  heavy  fall 
rains,  oftentimes  in  favorable  seasons  they  are  so  plentiful 
that  shooting  ceases  to  be  a  pleasure.  Forty  or  fifty  snipe 
in  a  day  to  one  gun  is  a  common  affair,  and  one  hundred 
are  not  uncommon.  There  are  authenticated  instances 
where  three  or  four  hundred  have  been  killed  by  one 
shooter  in  one  day,  he  having  two  guns,  which  he  shot 
alternately  when  one  became  overheated.  This  kind  of 
slaughter  required  two  or  three  assistants,  one  to  carry  the 
cartridges  and  spare  gun,  others  to  retrieve  the  birds. 
When  the  birds  are  so  plentiful,  a  dog  is  wholly  useless 
except  as  a  retriever.  The  shooter  simply  walks  along  and 
will  have  more  shooting  then  than  he  can  attend  to,  if  he 
happens  to  be  favored  with  a  good  day.  The  fall  shooting 
lasts  several  weeks. 

In  the  winter,  there  is  more   or    less   shooting   that   is 

there  considered  very  poor,  but  would  pass  for  excellent  at 

any  season  in.  the  North.     But  it  should  be  remembered 

that  the  winters  in  that  section  are  very  mild  and  open,  the 

20 


300  MODERN    TRAINING. 

temperature  rarely  dropping  to  the  freezing  point.  During 
March  and  April,  the  shooting  is  again  good,  although 
inferior  to  that  of  the  fall.  Often  the  hunter  will  find  snipe 
in  the  cotton  and  sedge  fields,  while  he  is  hunting  for  quails. 
They  are  frequently  a  nuisance  to  the  quail  hunter.  Dogs, 
in  many  instances,  become  very  fond  of  hunting  them, 
and  by  constant  hunting  learn  all  their  favorite  winter  feed- 
ing grounds.  When  hunting  quails,  the  dog  will  suddenly 
remember  one  of  these  grounds  if  in  the  vicinity,  and 
will  take  a  straight  line  to  it,  perhaps  half  a  mile  away.  If 
he  finds  one  and  points,  there  is  then  a  long  ride  or  walk 
for  a  bird  so  common  that  it  is  not  valued  highly,  and  the 
shooting  of  it  is  much  inferior  to  quail  shooting. 

In  working  a  dog  on  snipe,  he  must  be  corrected  if  he 
shows  a  disposition  to  press  his  birds  too  closely,  for  such 
acts,  if  habitual,  are  destructive  to  the  sport.  When  snipe  are 
scarce,  the  dog  can  range  wide  and  fast  as  in  quail  shooting. 
An  intelligent  dog  soon  learns  to  work  on  snipe  with  greater 
caution  and  slowness  than  on  quails,  and  if  hunted  on  them 
week  after  week  as  can  be  done  in  Louisiana  or  Texas  in 
proper  season,  the  slowness  becomes  habitual  to  the  injury 
of  the  dog's  work  on  quails.  The  heavy  grounds  also  con- 
tribute to  the  slowness.  Considering  all  the  uncertainties 
in  the  habits  and  nature  of  the  bird  and  the  unpleasant 
work  of  walking  in  muddy  marshes  or  heavy-  upland,  it  is 
not  a  desirable  bird  to  educate  dogs  on.  The  author  has 
shot  them  week  after  week  and  always  considered  them  far 
inferior  to  quails.  It  is  quite  fascinating  for  a  few  days 
when  the  birds  are  plentiful,  but  it  soon  becomes  flat  after 
the  novelty  wears  off,  and  quails  will  have  a  superiority  by 
contrast. 

Prairie  chicken  hunting  requires  very  little  skill  in  man  or 
dog  early  in  the  season,  although  there  is  no  hunting  which 
requires  more  endurance.  The  habitat  of  this  bird  is  in  the 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  3OI 

prairie  country  of  the  center  of  the  United  States  from  and 
including  Dakota,  Minnesota  and  Wisconsin  on  the  North 
to  Louisiana  and  Texas  on  the  South;  they  are  also  plenti- 
ful to  a  certain  limit  northward  in  British  America.  They 
are  rapidly  becoming  exterminated.  Such  a  short  time  ago 
as  1882  and  1883,  the  shooting  was  uniformly  good.  It 
was  then  no  unusual  affair  to  kill  from  fifty  to  one  hundred 
birds  in  a  day.  In  the  same  sections  where  the  author  shot 
hundreds  of  them  at  that  time,  they  now  are  a  rarity.  There  is 
an  enormous  decrease  every  year  excepting  in  a  few  favored 
localities;  but  the  restless  search  for  new  grounds  will 
eventually  sweep  all  alike.  The  advent  of  the  breech- 
loader and  better  dogs -has  sealed  their  fate. 

In  locating  for  a  chicken  hunt,  it  is  much  better  to  select 
a  small  town  for  headquarters.  The  large  towns  are  always 
overrun  with  visiting  sportsmen  besides  having  a  full  quota 
of  local  shooters,  a  certain  percentage  of  whom  gather  in 
a  generous  share  of  the  birds  before  the  legal  season  opens. 
This  is  so  common,  except  in  the  vicinity  of  the  large  cities,  or 
large  towns  which  have  game  protective  associations,  that  it 
is  wholly  useless  to  visit  one  of  them  with  a  view  to  hunting 
purposes.  Unfortunately  some  of  the  associations  are  not 
always  consistent  in  their  practice  as  individuals  with  their 
promulgations  as  clubs. 

Nothing  is  more  destructive  to  the  enjoyment  of  shoot- 
ing than  crowding.  The  chicken  country,  each  season,  is 
completely  scoured  by  hunters,  and  every  succeeding  season 
witnesses  an  enormous  accession  to  their  numbers.  During 
the  few  days  prior  to  the  opening  day,  the  baggage  cars 
on  every  one  of  the  numerous  lines  through  the  chicken 
country  are  crowded  with  dogs,  tents,  guns  and  general 
shooting  paraphernalia  and  camping  outfits.  On  the  open- 
ing day  and  several  days  thereafter,  and  in  a  lesser  degree 
several  days  before,  the  country  is  swept.  The  sportsman 


302  MODERN    TRAINING. 

who  goes  later  in  the  season  to  enjoy  the  shooting  and 
cooler  weather  will  find  but  little  to  repay  him  for  his 
trouble.  Broken  bevies,  wild  birds  and  the  most  irregular 
and  unsatisfactory  sport  in  consequence,  is  then  the  rule. 

During  the  hot  weather  the  chickens  are  comparatively 
easy  for  the  dog  to  point,  and  the  hunter  to  shoot.  Their 
flights  are  slow  and  short ;  but  when  the  nights  begin  to 
get  cool  and  the  fall  winds  set  in,  they  become  wilder  and 
wilder,  and  in  the  last  of  August  or  early  September,  begin 
to  pack,  /.  e.,  two  or  three  covies  will  unite  in  one  flock,  and 
as  the  weather  gradually  becomes  more  unpleasant  and  un- 
settled, the  small  flocks  unite  into  larger  ones.  An  old 
cock  or  two  may  be  found  here  and  there,  which  will  not 
live  with  the  main  flock.  Thus  all  the  birds  of  a  certain 
section  are,  after  a  time,  in  one  or  two  large  packs;  conse- 
quently the  shooting  then  is  very  uncertain  since  the  pack 
must  be  found  before  any  shooting  can  be  done.  If  the 
weather  is  cold  or  unsettled,  the  pack  when  found  will  fly 
straightway  out  of  sight.  If  the  hunter  should  be  so  fortu- 
nate as  to  find  it  on  a  warm,  quiet  day,  or  if  a  gentle,  warm 
breeze  is  blowing,  the  birds  will  lie  like  stones  and  their 
flights  are  shorter.  If  the  pack  lights  in  long  grass  and  scat- 
ters after  the  first  flight,  the  sportsman  may  have  shoot- 
ing that  will  reward  many  fruitless  efforts.  The  birds  will 
rise,  one,  two  or  three  at  a  time,  and  it  requires  a  steady 
nerve  and  cool  judgment  to  take  skillful  advantage  of 
the  opportunities,  and  not  get  "  rattled."  Generally, 
when  the  fall  weather  sets  in,  the  birds  become  so  wild  and 
unapproachable  that  there  is  very  little  sport  ir  hunting 
them.  If  one  bird  flushes  all  go  with  it. 

On  windy  days,  the  cornfields  and  sloughs  covered  with 
long  grass  are  favorite  haunts  in  September.  A  section  in 
which  corn  is  largely  grown  is  a  very  poor  one  for  chicken 
shooting.  The  birds  fly  to  the  cornfields  and  are  then  safe, 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  303 

save  an  occasional  few  that  may  be  shot.  On  the  whole, 
these  birds  afford  the  dullest,  tamest  sport,  and  about  all 
that  can  be  said  in  their  favor  is  that  they  furnish  some  sum- 
mer shooting.  However,  it  requires  a  good  man,  dog  and 
gun  to  show  successful  results  after  the  chickens  become 
strong  and  wild,  but  their  excessive  wildness  and  scarcity 
render  the  sport  extremely  unsatisfactory.  Still  there  are 
shooters  who  find  it  excellent,  and,  after  all,  the  sport  that 
the  shooter  takes  the  most  pleasure  in  is  the  best  for  him. 
Two  horses,  which  are  not  afraid  of  the  report  of  a  gun, 
and  a  strong  double  spring  wagon,  are  the  best  for  chicken 
hunting.  A  good,  experienced  driver,  one  who  understands 
chicken  hunting,  is  indispensable  to  good  sport,  and  no  other 
should  be  accepted.  His  knowledge  of  the  country,  habits 
and  haunts  of  the  birds,  and  skill  in  marking  them  down, 
are  invaluable.  When  the  dog  points,  if  in  a  rolling  or 
hilly  country,  the  driver  can  take  a  commanding  position  on 
some  elevation  before  the  birds  are  flushed,  and  from  his  po- 
sition in  the  wagon  can  mark  accurately  where  they  light. 
If  the  shooter  is  inexperienced,  he  will  mark  the  birds  inac- 
curately. After  taking  his  eyes  off  the  spot  he  can  see  fifty 
places  just  like  the  one  he  marked  the  birds  by,  there  being 
a  great  similarity  in  the  characteristic  features  of  the  prairie. 
Besides  noting  the  exact  place  as  carefully  as  may  be,  the 
shooter  should  mark  it  in  a  straight  line  with  a  straw  or 
wheat  stack,  house,  grove,  or  other  prominent  object  some- 
where between  the  chickens  and  the  horizon.  He  can  always 
then  approach  them  directly.  Sometimes  they  light  nearer 
than  they  appear  to,  at  other  times  farther,  the  absence  of  all 
objects  for  comparison  rendering  the  distance  difficult  to  es- 
timate. When  marking  their  flight  the  eye  should  not  be 
taken  off  them  for  an  instant,  and  only  when  they  are  seen 
to  light,  is  there  any  certainty  of  estimating  where  they  will 
be  found. 


304  MODERN    TRAINING. 

Some  prairie  hay  should  be  laid  evenly  on  the  bottom  of 
the  wagon  for  the  comfort  of  the  dogs  when  riding  to  and 
from  the  hunting  grounds,  or  when  they  are  resting.  The 
weather  in  August  is  invariably  oppressively  hot,  and  there- 
fore it  is  very  distressing  for  dogs  to  work  for  more  than  an 
hour  or  two  at  a  time.  Plenty  of  water  is  indispensable. 
A  bountiful  supply  should  be  provided  before  starting,  par- 
ticularly if  the  water  is  good.  The  quality  of  the  water  is 
not  uniformly  good,  some  wells  having  an  alkali  or  lime  im- 
pregnation. Many  homes  in  the  country  get  their  water 
from  a  pit  dug  in  low  ground  which  contains  surface  water, 
while  some  depend  on  stagnant  slough  water;  hence  if  the 
shooter  neglects  to  supply  himself  before  starting,  it  may 
occasion  much  inconvenience  during  the  day.  Dogs  require 
an  abundance  of  water,  and  must  have  it  to  work  well.  In 
the  country,  there  is  often  great  difficulty  in  caring  properly 
for  dogs.  The  housing  for  all  domestic  animals,  and  for 
the  family,  is  frequently  of  the  most  primitive  and  ineffi- 
cient character.  When  the  -frosty  nights  come,  it  is  both 
cruel  and  ungrateful  to  make  a  dog  shift  for  his  sleeping 
quarters.  It  is  pitiful  to  see  his  stiffness  and  painful  move- 
ments in  the  morning  after  sleeping  beside  some  haystack 
or  even  less  comfortable  place.  If  there  is  no  barn  in  which 
he  can  be  put,  his  crate  can  be  placed  on  a  bed  of  hay 
about  two  feet  deep,  and  the  whole  covered  with  hay  on  the 
sides  and  top  about  six  or  eight  feet  deep,  leaving  an  aper- 
ture just  large  enough  for  the  dog  to  crawl  in  and  out.  Hay 
is  always  abundant  and  cheap.  If  there  is  no  crate,  some 
boards  can  be  easily  nailed  together  to  make  a  substitute. 
If  the  hotel  does  not  afford  a  sufficiency  of  scraps,  a  couple 
of  old  prairie  chickens  or  ones  badly  shot  may  be  boiled  for 
each  dog.  Usually  it  is  better  to  buy  the  dog-food  and  have 
it  cooked,  as  there  is  every  probability  that  a  Minnesota, 
Iowa,  Nebraska,  or  Dakota  small  country  hotel  will  not 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  305 

have  any  scraps  left — oftentimes  the  table  itself  is  an  infe- 
rior gathering  of  scraps,  and  dogs  or  cats  dependent  on 
leavings  are  trusting  to  a  forlorn  hope. 

Chicken  hunting  is  the  hardest  of  all  hunting  on  a  dog, 
hence  he  is  entitled  to  every  care.  The  broad  prairie  offers 
no  obstruction  to  the  highest  speed  and  widest  range,  the 
weather  is  warm,  the  birds  scarce,  consequently  there  is 
very  little  to  relieve  the  constant  exertion.  A  wide  rang- 
ing dog  is  indispensable  to  good  sport,  and  he  must  be  har- 
dened by  exercise  several  weeks  prior  to  the  opening  of  the 
season. 

An  experience  on  chickens  is  not  of  much  value  as  a 
preparatory  experience  for  quail  hunting.  It  brings  the 
dog  under  control,  but  it  frequently  happens  that  a  dog  bro- 
ken on  chickens  has  to  be  rebroken  for  quail  shooting.  Theo- 
retically the  dog  begins  on  quails  with  the  same  degree  of 
perfection  that  he  ended  on  chickens.  Practically,  it  has 
very  little  beneficial  effect,  and  in  some  instances  is  a  disad- 
vantage. The  hard  work  on  chickens,  the  difference  in 
climate,  etc.,  unfit  a  clog  for  several  weeks  for  quail  shoot- 
ing in  the  South. 


306  MODERN    TRAINING. 


CHAPTER   XXV. 

THE     TRAINING     OF    SPANIELS. 

As  compared  with  the  setter  and  pointer,  the  spaniel  has 
a  limited  sphere  of  usefulness,  and  his  manner  of  hunting 
to  the  gun  has  not  so  many  complex  details  as  the  working 
of  setters  and  pointers. 

The  admirers  of  spaniels  argue  that  the  pointers'  and  set- 
ters' comparatively  great  range  makes  them  less  desirable 
for  cover  shooting  as  compared  with  the  spaniel;  but  such 
is  only  partially  true, — they  are  naturally  much  greater 
rangers,  but  they  can  be  educated  to  work  their  ground  as 
closely  as  the  spaniel  and,  for  the  matter  of  that,  to  flush 
birds  without  pointing,  or  can  be  trained  to  flush  them  to 
order.  On  the  other  hand,  the  spaniel  cannot  take  the  set- 
ter's place  as  a  finding  dog.  His  usefulness  is  limited  to 
such  sections  as  have  an  abundance  of  game  or  such  dense 
cover  as  precludes  the  use  of  setters, — cover  which  is  very 
rare.  His  small  size  and  short  legs  enable  him  to  take 
the  thickest  cover  with  ease.  In  beating  out  narrow  strips 
of  cover,  as  in  long  narrow  runs,  in  woodcock  or  ruffed 
grouse  shooting,  where  one  gun  on  each  side,  or  a  gun 
on  one  side,  can  command  the  width  of  the  run,  the  cocker 
is  useful.  In  the  large  areas  of  cover,  as  in  ruffed  grouse 
shooting,  where  the  shooter  must  himself  enter,  the  spaniel 
is  then  inferior  to  the  setter.  As  he  is  out  of  sight  and  does 
not  point  his  birds,  many  shots  will  be  lost. 

In  the  ruffed  grouse  and  woodcock  sections,  setters  are 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  307 

used  with  admirable  success,  even  in  the  thickest  cover. 
Many  shooters  prefer  to  hunt  a  dog,  in  such  cover,  with  a 
bell  attached  to  the  collar,  thus  by  its  warning  tinkle  always 
giving  notice  of  the  whereabouts  of  the  dog;  and  as  the 
dogs  are  trained  to  work  close  in,  when  the  bell  is  silent 
the  hunter  knows  the  dog  is  pointing;  he  then  goes  to  the 
dog  and  flushes,  or  approaches  as  near  as  he  can  and  orders 
the  dog  to  flush.  Setters  or  pointers  which  are  hunted 
much  in  this  manner  become  wonderfully  cunning  in  aid- 
ing the  gun,  and  hold  their  point,  or  flush  the  bird  to  order 
with  rare  judgment,  but,  to  maintain  a  uniform  grade  of 
excellence,  they  must  be  always  handled  correctly,  always 
encouraged  for  good  work,  and  reprimanded  for  inattention 
or  willful  errors.  This,  by  the  way,  to  show  that  the  setter 
is  a  powerful  rival  in  the  spaniel  s  own  special  work,  while 
the  spaniel,  in  the  setter's  sphere  as  a  finding  dog,  is  a  weak 
competitor. 

The  method  of  working  spaniels  is  radically  different 
from  that  employed  in  working  setters  or  pointers.  Spaniels 
do  not  point, — they  road  their  birds  to 'a  flush.  Their 
range  should  never  exceed  the  distance  at  which  the  gun 
can  kill,  for  it  is  self-evident  that  if  a  bird  is  flushed  out  of 
shot,  the  opportunity  to  kill  is  lost.  From  their  narrow 
range,  they  beat  out  the  ground  very  closely  and  few  birds 
in  their  beat  escape  them,  particularly  when  the  shooter 
has  a  well  trained  team  of  them.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that 
as  compared  with  training  the  setter  and  pointer  through 
all  the  refinements  of  ranging  far  and  near,  pointing  and 
backing,  etc.,  the  training  of  spaniels  is  a  simple  affair. 

It  is  no  small  matter,  however,  to  establish  just  the  right 
beat, — to  and  fro  within  range  of  the  gun,  neither  going  out 
too  far  nor  working  too  close.  They  are  checked  and  re- 
strained to  this  range  until  it  becomes  habitual,  and  they 
will  work  without  any  supervision.  In  roading,  they  should 


308  MODERN    TRAINING. 

not  press  their  birds  too  fast,  otherwise  they  get  too  far 
from  the  shooter  and  flush  out  of  shot.  A  bell  is  useful, 
when  hunting  in  thick  cover. 

Spaniels  which  give  tongue  find  favor  with  many,  but 
noise  in  bird  hunting  is  entirely  out  of  place.  When  birds 
are  wild  the  slightest  noise  will  often  alarm  them,  and  an 
opportunity,  which  might  have  been  the  result  of  the  work 
of  hours,  is  lost. 

The  spaniel  should  be  taught  to  retrieve ;  the  system 
given  hereinbefore  applies  equally  as  well  to  the  spaniel  as 
to  pointers  and  setters. 

Nothing  is  so  utterly  helpless  and  at  the  mercy  of  his 
trainer  as  a  pointer,  setter,  or  spaniel,  when  under  the  con- 
trol of  a  spike  collar,  therefore  the  trainer  should  at  all 
times  be  merciful.  As  with  pointers  and  setters,  trust  more 
to  frequent  opportunity  and  slow  progress  than  to  violence 
and  an  intention  to  accomplish  all  in  a  few  lessons. 

Chasing  rabbits  should  not  be  allowed.  The  same 
method,  used  with  setters  and  pointers,  will  correct  this 
fault.  You  should  not  forget  that  a  dog  can  be  broken 
from  hunting  certain  kinds  of  game,  and  that  by  misman- 
agement in  breaking  him  from  hunting  one  kind,  he  may  be 
broken  from  hunting  all  kinds. 

The  checkcord  can  be  used  in  their  training  with  even 
greater  advantage  than  in  training  setters  and  pointers; 
their  pace  is  comparatively  slow  and  their  range  is  limited, 
hence  they  are  always  within  easy  reach.  All  the  com- 
mands taught  to  setters  can  be  profitably  taught  to  spaniels 
— the  method  is  the  same. 

There  are  but  few  sections  in  the  United  States  which 
are  favorable  to  the  use  of  spaniels,  and  where  there  is  such 
cover,  there  is  also  so  much  contiguous  open  country  that  the 
hunter  needs  a  setter  or  pointer  for  a  finding  dog.  How- 
ever, cocker  and  field  spaniels  are  coming  into  favor.  The 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  309 

distinction  between  the  two  in  this  country  is  more  in  the 
weight  and  size  than  in  race,  type,  or  characteristics,  although 
there  is  a  positive  distinction  with  respect  to  the  two  latter. 
Some  breeders  have  been  striving  to  establish  a  type,  having 
an  extremely  long  body  and  short  legs,  but  wherein  such  a 
type  is  an  advantage  in  a  working  dog,  the  author  has 
never  been  able  to  understand.  Either  the  cocker  or  field 
spaniel  is  small  enough  to  go  through  any  kind  of  cover 
that  game  birds  are  found  in,  and  if  the  extreme  length 
of  body  and  shortness  of  leg  are  to  reduce  their  speed,  the 
breeder  has  very  little  knowledge  of  how  a  dog's  efforts  can 
be  controlled  and  guided  by  the  trainer. 

They  are  bright,  affectionate  and  neat  dogs,  very  com- 
panionable and  susceptible  of  a  high  degree  of  training, 
they  being  very  intelligent.  Black  spaniels  have  the  great- 
est uniformity  in  type  amongst  cockers;  other  colored  cock- 
ers vary  in  type  to  an  astonishing  degree. 

The  Clumber  is  about  the  weight  of  a  small  or  medium 
sized  setter,  and  works  mute. 


3IO  MODERN    TRAINING 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

GUARD    DOGS. 

The  guard  dog  does  not  undergo  a  regular,  formal  course 
of  training  as  do  the  setter  and  pointer  when  educated  for 
field  work — his  education  is  accomplished  more  by  making 
a  companion  of  him  continually,  thus  affording  unlimited 
opportunities  for  him  to  exercise  his  judgment  and  in- 
telligence. 

St.  Bernards,  mastiffs  and  Great  Danes  find  great  favor 
as  house  and  guard  dogs.  It  is  a  mistake,  however,  to  sup- 
pose that  any  dog  is  a  good  guard  dog  simply  because  he  is 
mastiff,  Great  Dane  or  St.  Bernard.  Lazy,  stupid  or  physi- 
cally inferior  dogs  are  quite  as  common  in  these  breeds  as 
in  others.  In  no  dog  is  greater  intelligence  necessary  than 
in  one  used  as  a  watch  dog,  and  in  none  is  a  good  temper 
more  desirable.  A  vicious  temper  is  no  indication  of  cour- 
age; often  one  possessing  such  a  temper  is  a  pitiful  coward 
in  time  of  danger.  A  vicious  dog  is  wholly  unfit  for  a 
companion  for  children;  however,  the  St.  Bernard  and 
mastiff  are  commonly  the  personification  of  amiability  and 
attachment,  the  Great  Dane  generally  so.  The  mild  tem- 
per and  cool  judgment  which  a  guard  dog  must  preserve 
even  if  he  suffers  provocation  is  wherein  the  breeds  afore- 
mentioned excel.  As  for  desperate  courage  and  destruc- 
tiveness,  they  are  surpassed  by  some  other  breeds;  never- 
theless, a  mild,  amiable  dog  is  sufficiently  fierce  if  his  tem- 
per is  once  thoroughly  aroused  as  it  is  certain  to  be  if  the 


BREAKING    AND     HANDLING.  31 1 

master  he  loves  is  assaulted,  or  any  attempt  made  to  injure 
children  he  associates  with  as  guard  and  playmate.  It  is 
the  nature  of  all  dogs,  even  the  most  cowardly,  when  vio- 
lence is  threatened  to  the  master  or  the  household,  to  take 
the  defence  upon  themselves. 

To  give  a  correct  education,  it  should  begin  from  early 
puppyhood,  the  dog  having  his  liberty,  and  instructed  more 
by  association,  with  proper  checking  and  encouraging  as 
occasion  requires,  than  by  any  system  of  formal  training. 
He,  by  association,  learns  the  everyday  routine  of  the 
household,  the  habits  of  its  members,  and  learns  who  are 
strangers,  and  even  learns  to  discriminate  between  those 
which  are  suspicious  in  appearance  and  those  which  are 
not,  probably  being  aided  in  this  by  observing  the  air  with 
which  different  classes  of  callers  are  received.  He  also, 
from  his  own  powers  of  observation,  learns  what  are  usual 
incidents  and  what  are  unusual,  thus  showing  powers  of  dis- 
critnination. 

The  guard  dog  should,  however,  be  taught  to  obey  the 
common  orders,  such  as  "  Come  here,"  or  "  Come  in," 
"Drop,"  or  "Lie  down,"  the  methods  for  accomplishing  this 
being  the  same  as  laid  down  for  the  training  of  setters  and 
pointers  in  like  branches. 

Nothing  is  more  destructive  to  a  large  dog's  amiability 
and  usefulness  than  to  keep  him  chained,  and  nothing  is  so 
unwise  or  so  quick  to  superinduce  viciousness  as  to  tease 
and  worry  him  when  so  restrained.  It  also  affects  the  dog 
physically  if  persisted  in,  large  dogs  not  enduring  the  con- 
finement without  injury.  If  chained  during  puppyhood, 
they  are  sure  to  get  more  or  less  cow-hocked,  out  at  the 
elbows,  rickety,  or  twisted  out  of  shape,  and  are  pre-dis- 
posed  to  acquire  a  scowling  or  anxious  expression  of  face 
which  detracts  from  their  companionable  qualities.  Only 
by  thus  treating  the  dog  as  a  companion  can  he  be  made  an 


3I2 


MODKRN    TRAINING. 


intelligent  guard  dog,  and  but  little  should  be  expected  of 
him  until  he  has  the  experience  and  judgment  of  maturity, 
as  no  dog  is  capable  of  filling  an  office  of  so  much  respon- 
sibility before  maturity. 


MODERN    TRAINING.  313 


CHAPTER  XXVIL 

THE    TRAINING    OF    FOXHOUNDS. 

A  very  essential  thing  to  the  value  and  working  capabil- 
ities of  foxhounds  is  purity  of  blood.  Any  owner  who  re- 
sides where  foxes,  or  other  game  on  which  hounds  are  used, 
are  plentiful,  will  have  good  field  dogs  if  they  are  properly 
bred.  Hounds  do  not  require  the  careful  training  that  is 
given  to  pointers  and  setters.  Given  the  hounds  properly 
bred,  if  they  are  only  taken  to  game  and  let  alone,  they  will 
generally  make  good  dogs,  yet  the  manner  of  doing  this 
well  requires  some  skillful  management  which  will  be  here- 
inafter described. 

Too  much  care  therefore  cannot  be  taken  in  selecting  and 
breeding  foxhounds,  for  if  there  is  any  breed  of  dog  that 
requires  natural  qualities  in  their  highest  perfection,  it  is 
the  breed  of  foxhounds,  particularly  those  which  are  used  to 
run  red  foxes  in  the  Middle  States.  It  does  not  make  so 
much  difference  about  the  pure  breeding  of  dogs  which  are 
used  to  hunt  deer,  bears,  wild  cats  or  grey  foxes,  or  for 
dogs  that  are  used  in  the  East  to  drive  the  fox  by  the  stand 
of  a  shooter,  and  hence  not  strictly  for  the  chase. 

Hounds  for  catching  red  foxes  should  be  selected  from 
the  best  possible  blood  that  can  be  obtained.  A  criterion  of 
excellence  should  be  breeding  a  uniform  good  lot,  not  a 
large  litter  with  one  good  one  in  it,  but  a  litter  of,  at  least, 
good  ones  and  the  majority  high  class  ones.  To  breed  in 
this  way,  you  must  select  stock  which  you  know  has  high 


314  MODERN    TRAINING. 

class  natural  qualities  in  physical  structure  and  powers 
afield.  This  requires  a  pure  ancestry  as  a  prime  factor;  in 
fact,  the  breeding  of  foxhounds  requires  all  the  care  and 
skill  that  is  exercised  tn  maintaining  and  improving  other 
breeds. 

As  to  the  qualities  to  be  desired,  the  hounds  should  be 
bred  and  trained  so  that  they  work  almost  as  fast  as  the  high 
class  English  setter  of  to-day.  Their  noses  should  be  good 
enough  to  strike  and  trail  up  a  fox,  in  favorable  weather  for 
hunting,  which  has  passed  along  from  twelve  to  twenty- 
four  hours  before;  they  should  trail  steadily,  keep  close  to- 
gether, and  pick  out  the  trail  accurately  and  quickly — not 
scatter  all  over  the  country  and  go  like  wild  dogs;  but  if  the 
track  is  too  cold  to  nose  out,  they  should  be  intelligent 
enough  to  know  it,  but  should  stick  to  it  until  they.get  the 
course  of  the  fox  and  go  on  circling  from  it  for  a  mile  or 
more  if  they  cannot  strike  it  in  a  less  distance,  and  they 
should  be  dogs  which  would  persist  in  trailing  and  working 
this  way  all  day  if  necessary — not  stop  and  give  up  in  an 
hour  or  two  if  the  fox  is  not  jumped. 

I  like  a  dog  with  a  clear,  loud  voice,  one  that  gives  tongue 
very  freely  while  trailing  and  running,  but  not  one  that 
gives  tongue  when  he  runs  over  the  track,  and  has  lost  the 
scent. 

In  chasing  the  red  fox,  when  he  is  jumped,  the  pack 
should  be  very  fast  runners,  stick  close  together  and  close 
to  the  trail ;  but  on  a  loss  of  it,  they  should  make  wide  casts 
for  it  and  not  turn  too  straight  back;  and  if  you  have  a  dog 
that  is  too  slow,  one  that  does  not  pack  well,  one  that  runs 
over  badly,  or  one  that  will  quit  a  hotly  contested  race,  he 
should  be  killed,  not  given  to  some  friend  who  will  probably 
breed  from  him  or  her.  For  red  foxes  they  should  be  able 
to  run  and  trail  from  twelve  to  twenty  hours,  and  that  singly 
if  necessary.  On  favorable  days,  a  first  class  pack  nearly 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  315 

always  catches  a  red  fox  in  from  two  and  one-half  to  four 
hours,  but  to  do  this  they  must  make  no  mistakes  and  have 
favorable  weather.  One  bad  run-over,  or  loss,  almost  always 
gives  the  fox  enough  time  to  get  far  enough  away  to  bring 
the  pack  to  the  trail,  and  if  he  is  a  good  runner  he  will 
never  allow  them  to  get  a  close  run  on  him  again  until  he  is 
so  fatigued  that  he  cannot  possioly  keep  in  front  of  them. 
To  run  a  good  old  red  fox  to  death  that  has  got  the  advan- 
tage of  a  young  pack  in  any  way,  you  need  dogs  that  will 
stick,  all  alone  if  necessary,  from  twelve  to  twenty  hours  ; 
and  it  very  often  is  necessary.  To  make  a  success  of  hunt- 
ing red  foxes,  there  should  never  be  under  eight  good  dogs 
that  run  and  stay  close  together,  and  I  think  it  much  better 
to  have  twenty  or  more  good  ones.  One  poor  dog  in  a 
chase  does  much  more  harm  than  good. 

We  are,  in  this  section,  as  careful  of  the  lives  of  our  red 
foxes  as  we  are  of  saving  our  pocketbook.  I  hope  the 
Eastern  hunters  will  adopt  the  plan  of  having  more  and 
better  dogs,  and  quit  shooting  foxes. 

We  will  now  consider  the  subject  of  training.  A  fox- 
hound puppy  should  not  be  allowed  to  run  any  until  he  is 
about  eight  months  old,  and  if  they  are  not  well  grown, 
healthy  puppies  at  that  age,  they  should  be  kept  up  and 
well  fed  until  healthy  and  strong.  When  they  are  first 
taken  out  and  started  on  a  chase,  they  should  accompany 
old,  steady,  broken  hounds  which  you  expect  to  train  them 
with  regularly,  and  they  should  first  be  run  on  rabbits  about 
every  other  day.  One  hour  at  a  time  is  sufficient,  gradually 
working  them  longer  if  they  are  enduring  the  work  well, 
until  you  get  them  so  they  can  stand  six  or  eight  hours' 
good  hard  running  after  rabbits,  remembering  that  they  are 
always  to  be  in  company  with  the  broken  foxhounds  that 
they  are  to  be  broken  with. 

While  they  are  taking  their  first  experiences  with  rabbits, 


31  6  MODERN    TRAINING. 

they  should  be  taught  to  come  to  the  blast  of  the  horn  or  a 
call,  and  should  be  allowed  to  follow  you  on  horseback 
around  the  country,  occasionally,  to  teach  them  how  to  fol- 
low and  not  get  lost.  When  they  are  about  one  year  old 
and  are  well  advanced  in  chasing  rabbits,  they  should  be 
taken  out  with  the  broken  dogs  next  on  grey  foxes,  or  wild 
cats,  if  any  are  available.  They  never  should  be  allowed  to 
run  a  red  fox  until  they  are  about  eighteen  months  old,  or 
are  fully  developed  and  strong  enough  to  run  from  eight  to 
twelve  hours  in  a  fast,  closely-contested  chase  with  fast 
hounds,  and  never  should  be  taken  out  again,  after  a  chase, 
until  they  are  well  rested.  When  started  on  grey  fox  or 
cat,  as  mentioned  before,  they  should  be  accompanied  by 
thoroughly  broken,  good,  steady,  working  old  dogs;  not 
very  fast  dogs,  but  ones  that  will  stick  close  to  the  trail  and 
never  quit  following  or  trailing  for  twelve  or  fifteen  hours, 
unless  they  capture  their  quarry  or  are  stopped.  The  rea- 
son that  I  prefer  dogs  which  are  not  so  fast,  to  train  pup- 
pies with,  is  because  I  want  broken  dogs  which  they  can 
keep  up  with,  and  therefore  can  do  some  of  the  work  them- 
selves,— if  the  old  dogs  are  too  fast,  the  puppies  will  soon 
run  down  from  their  great  efforts  to  keep  up,  or  will  be 
thrown  out  and  learn  to  quit.  They  rarely  ever  forget 
their  first  experience  after  fox,  and  if  they  learn  bad  habits 
at  first,  they  frequently  retain  them  through  life.  When 
first  taken  out  with  broken  dogs  as  already  explained,  they 
should  be  allowed  to  have  their  own  way  to  a  great  extent. 
An  assistant  is  necessary  in  training  puppies.  He  can  ride 
on  with  the  broken  dogs,  occasionally  blowing  the  horn  for 
the  puppies  while  you  remain  with  them  and  cheer  them  off 
of  anything  they  may  be  after.  After  the  old  dogs  have 
struck  a  trail,  the  hunter  should  follow  and  encourage  them 
a  little,  but  do  very  little  following;  the  other  remains  back 
and  cheers  the  puppies  in  with  the  old  dogs.  They  will 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  317 

sdon  learn  to  love  the  trail  of  a  fox  and  will  stay  with  the 
old  dogs  without  much  trouble.  They  should  never  be 
whipped  much,  and  this  especially  should  be  avoided  by  the 
owner  or  trainer;  they  should  be  permitted  to  have  their 
own  way  as  much  as  possible. 

Experience  after  the  kind  of  game  you  hunt  will  gradually 
break  them,  and  if  they  are  whipped  too  much  or  broken  too 
quickly,  they  will  not  make  fast  hunters  and  good  strike  dogs. 

The  best  all-round  dogs,  which  I  have  ever  owned,  were 
dogs  which  were  hard  to  break,  and,  in  fact,  were  not 
thoroughly  broken  till  they  were  about  three  years  old.  My 
long  experience  with  high  class  English  setters  and  fox- 
hounds has  taught  me  that  it  requires  plenty  of  time  and 
patience,  and  that  a  dog  should  be  allowed  to  have  his  own 
way  as  much  as  possible,  to  make  a  first  class  dog  out  of 
him  and  develop  his  natural  capabilities  to  the  utmost.  Of 
course,  a  puppy  can  be  trained  easier  and  quicker  by  start- 
ing his  training  while  he  is  very  young,  but  the  great  trouble 
is  that  the  greater  number  trained  after  such  a  manner  are 
worthless  brutes. 

Many  hunters  believe  in  running  puppies  and  old  dogs 
after  a  drag  a  great  deal,  but  I  do  not  believe  in  allowing  a 
pack  of  hounds  to  run  drags  much,  for  I  have  seen  good 
packs  completely  ruined  by  such  practice;  so  badly  ruined 
that  they  could  not  catch  a  good  running  red  fox.  They 
always  learn  to  run-over  very  badly,  and  form  many  bad 
habits  from  this  manner  of  hunting.  If  drags  are  run  any 
with  young  puppies,  it  should  be  in  company  with  old  dogs 
which  stick  close  to  the  track,  and  ones  which  cannot  out- 
run them.  The  drag  should  always  be  manipulated  by 
some  one  who  is  afoot,  and  should  never  be  dragged  in  a 
road  or  pathway.  The  man  should  drag  it  about  in  circles 
as  near  after  the  course  a  fox  runs  as  possible,  through 
thickets,  and  never  in  a  straight  course. 


318  MODERN    TRAINING. 

In  breaking  and  hunting,  when  a  dog  strikes  a  fox  trail, 
give  him  plenty  of  time  and  wait  until  he  has  decided  which 
way  the  fox  has  gone.  Do  not  commence  hurrying  the 
hound  and  he  will  almost  always  learn  to  take  the  right  end 
of  the  track,  and,  in  trailing,  I  think  the  hunter  should  give 
the  dogs  plenty  of  time  on  any  track  that  they  can  nose  out, 
should  always  remain  behind  his  dogs,  try  to  keep  them  as 
close  together  as  possible,  and  instead  of  continually  hark- 
ing them  on,  it  would  be  better  to  call  them  back  together 
and  let  them  nose  out  the  track  accurately,  if  possible  to  do 
so.  A  hunter  that  always  thinks  he  knows  exactly  where 
the  quarry  can  be  jumped,  and  is  continually  hunting  his 
dogs  on  from  trail  to  trail,  never  has  a  first  class  pack  of 
trail  dogs.  It  is  true  that  very  often,  after  this  manner,  he 
jumps  his  game  very  quickly,  but  to  put  him  in  a  country 
where  game  is  very  scarce,  he  will  more  frequently  spoil  a 
good  day's  sport;  moreover,  after  harking  his  dogs  off  a 
cold  trail  a  few  times,  they  soon  get  discouraged,  and  will 
not  work  at  all.  Any  well  bred  pack  of  hounds  that  is 
broken  and  handled  properly  should,  in  favorable  weather, 
work  and  trail  a  track  all  day,  that  is  from  ten  to  twenty 
hours  old,  and  to  get  them  to  do  that  you  must  stay  behind 
them,  give  them  lots  of  time,  try  to  keep  them  very  close 
together,  and  let  them  nose  it  out.  The  great  secret,  I  think, 
in  catching  red  foxes  is  to  have  good  stayers,  ones  that  will 
run  very  close  together.  If  there  is  a  dog  in  your  pack 
which  is  too  fast  or  too  slow  and  cannot  be  made  to  trail  or 
run  close  with  them,  it  would  be  best  to  kill  him.  One  bad 
•'  run-over"  dog  will  often  ruin  a  large  pack,  and  with  a  few 
such  losses  of  time  occasioned  by  this  fault,  they  rarely  ever 
catch  any  red  foxes.  While  the  pack  should  run  well  to- 
gether and  very  fast,  they  should  not  "  run-over"  and  make 
bad  losses  of  time. 

It  is  now  apparent  that,  to  endure  the  fatiguing  exertion 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  310 

and  to  train  puppies  properly  to  run  long,  hard  races,  they 
should  be  strong  and  have  the  necessary  age  before  starting 
them  after  red  foxes,  and  should  be  run  with  well  broken 
clogs,  so  that  they  will  learn  no  bad  habits.  I  do  not  think 
any  pack  should  ever  quit  running  until  it  catches  or  trees 
whatever  it  is  after;  however,  to  have  a  pack  of  this  kind 
you  must  have  good  blood  in  it.  Kill  any  dog  that  will 
quit  before  he  is  stopped  or  catches  his  game,  for  he  will 
turn  some  good  young  dog  to  stop  with  him. 

A  hunter  should  always  endeavor  to  keep  within  hearing  of 
his  pack,  and  never  go  home  and  leave  them  running.  If  they 
learn  once  that  you  are  a  quitter  they  will  be  quitters  also. 

For  good  killing  dogs  for  bears  and  deer,  they  should  be 
trained  and  handled  precisely  the  same  as  in  hunting  foxes, 
excepting  that  they  should  go  a  little  slower  and  should  not 
be  good  stayers  in  a  chase;  they  should  always  stop  running 
a  deer,  if  he  is  not  wounded,  within  one  hour;  for  if  you  do 
not  kill  the  deer  in  that  time,  he  is  so  far  away  from  the  dogs 
that  it  is  difficult  to  get  a  shot;  the  greater  number  of  times 
they  run  off  some  ten  or  twenty  miles.  If  game  is  plentiful, 
it  is  much  more  sport  to  get  the  dogs  back  in  the  drive  and 
jump  another  deer.  J.  M.  AVENT. 

HICKORY  VALLEY,  TENN. 


Mr.  Avent's  attainments  as  a  trainer  and  field  trial  handler 
are  well  known,  his  success  at  field  trials  and  prominence 
in  dog  matters  for  many  years  being  a  feature  in  the 
chronicles  of  field  sports  and  within  the  personal  knowledge 
of  the  larger  part  of  sportsmen;  yet  except  in  the  South  it  is 
not  generally  known  that  he  is  an  enthusiastic  and  accom- 
plished fox,  deer  and  bear  hunter,  an  owner  of  hounds  for 
many  years  and  a  recognized  authority  on  them  ;  therefore, 
this  chapter,  coming  from  a  recognized  expert,  should  be 
accredited  with  the  full  measure  of  worth  to  which  it  is 
properly  entitled.  B.  W. 


320  MODERN    TRAINING. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

With  respect  to  guns,  it  can  be  set  down  as  the  soundest 
of  rules  that  it  is  always  better  to  buy  one  manufactured  by 
a  reputable  maker.  The  thousands  of  cheap  guns  dis- 
tributed throughout  the  country,  every  country  hardware 
store  or  general  store  having  a  stock  with  every  imaginable 
kind  of  a  trade  name,  or  names  closely  resembling  those  of 
celebrated  makers,  evidently  with  the  intention  to  defraud 
the  purchaser,  are  not  worth  the  trouble  of  accepting  as  a 
gift.  They  are  made  of  poor  material,  badly  fitted  and 
balanced,  and  soon  become  shaky  and  unsafe,  if  not  so  at 
the  beginning.  These  remarks,  however,  are  intended  to 
give  the  tyro  some  general  suggestions  with  reference  to 
the  powder  charges,  gauges,  etc.,  for  different  kinds  of 
shooting.  The  subject  with  respect  to  gauges,  weights, 
makes,  etc.,  is  in  theory  a  most  voluminous  and  diversified 
one,  there  being  no  end  to  opinions  and  controversies.  In 
practice,  there  are  certain  data  which  afford  ample  informa- 
tion on  all  points.  Usually  the  most  important  cause  of 
failure  to  kill  is  that  the  gun  is  not  held  aright. 

For  general  shooting,  that  is  quails,  chickens,  ducks, 
snipes  and  woodcocks,  the  twelve  gauge  has  the  nearest 
approach  to  the  properties  of  an  all  round  gun,  namely, 
weight,  effectiveness  and  economy.  To  the  sportsman  who 
indulges  his  fancy  in  a  gun,  with  a  limitation  relating  to 
ways  and  means,  the  twelve  gauge  is  the  gun  par  excel- 


BREAKING    AND     HANDLING.  321 

lence  for  general  shooting.  As  to  the  weight,  he  must 
be  governed  by  his  physical  capabilities,  the  weight  of  pow- 
der and  shot  loads  he  desires  to  use,  the  kinds  of  game  that 
he  will  shoot  most,  etc.  A  half  pound  extra  weight  on  a 
gun  makes  a  perceptible  difference  in  the  greater  fatigue 
of  carrying  or  handling  it  all  day.  The  favorite  weights 
run  from  seven  to  eight  pounds.  A  few  shooters  prefer 
guns  of  nine  pounds  or  more,  but  they  are  extremely  few  ; 
however,  the  extra  weight  is  necessary  if  unusually  heavy 
loads  are  used.  It  is  an  absurdity  to  claim  that  a  light 
twelve  gauge  with  light  loads  will  kill  as  far  as  a  heavy 
twelve  gauge  with  heavy  loads,  if  each  gun  is  bored  to  give 
the  best  results  with  the  respective  loads.  For  upland 
shooting,  a  twelve  gauge,  thirty  inch  barrels,  seven  and  one- 
half  pounds  in  weight,  bored  to  shoot  from  three  to  three  and 
one-half  drams  of  powder,  and  one  ounce,  or  one  and  one- 
eighth  ounce  of  shot,  is  ample.  For  chicken  and  duck 
shooting,  a  full  or  modified  choke  is  not  out  of  place. 
Many  opportunities  for  long  shots  constantly  occur,  and,  it 
being  chiefly  open  shooting,  if  the  birds  rise  too  close,  the 
shooter  can  wait  till  they  get  a  proper  distance  away  before 
killing.  In  chicken  and  duck  shooting,  a  great  deal  of  ex- 
perience is  necessary  to  acquire  the  ability  to  estimate 
distances  properly,  the  tendency  being  to  under-estimate 
them. 

The  sportsman  whose  shooting  is  confined  to  quails, 
snipes  and  woodcocks  should  use  a  sixteen  gauge.  It  is 
also  effective  in  the  early  part  of  the  season  on  chickens. 
But,  whether  he  uses  a  twelve  or  sixteen  gauge  for  quails, 
snipes  and  woodcocks,  a  choked  gun  should  most  emphati- 
cally be  condemned.  A  true  cylinder  is  the  gun.  Quail 
shooting  is  usually  close  shooting.  Usually  the  extreme 
range  is  less  than  thirty-five  yards;  the  occasional  shots  at 
forty,  fifty  or  sixty  yards  being  no  sort  of  consequence  as 


322  MODERN    TRAINING. 

compared  to  the  bulk  of  the  shooting.  The  average  limit  is 
from  fifteen  to  twenty-five  or  thirty  yards.  If  a  full  choked 
gun  is  shot  at  a  target  at  twenty  yards,  the  absurdity  of 
shooting  such  a  close  mass  of  shot  at  a  quail  will  be  evi- 
dent. A  large  percentage  of  birds  are  so  mutilated  by  the 
use  of  choked  guns  that  they  are  worthless,  and  occasional 
ones  wholly  destroyed.  The  author  had  the  full  choke 
mania  some  years  ago,  and  for  no  other  reason  except  that 
others  used  them,  he  purchased  one.  The  whole  character 
of  his  shooting  changed.  Shots  that  previously  were  easy 
became  extremely  difficult.  Birds  were  blown  to  atoms,  or 
partially  blown  away  or  minced,  or  cleanly  missed  at  good 
ranges,  yet  the  gun  with  all  its  atrocities  of  full  choke  and 
heavy  powder  charges  was  cherished,  simply  because  it  was 
the  fashion.  It  was  not  a  question  of  the  shooting  adapted 
to  game,  but  a  question  of  close  pattern.  By  constant  use, 
many  faults  were  to  a  certain  degree  corrected,  but  there 
were  always  lurking  the  same  fundamental  principles  of  un- 
fitness.  The  elements  of  the  shooting  were  forced  to  fit  the 
special  features  of  the  gun  instead  of  having  the  gun 
adapted  to  the  special  features  of  the  shooting.  After  per- 
sisting in  the  delusion  about  five  years,  the  gun  was  bored 
out  to  a  modified  choke.  This  was  a  great  gain,  and  im- 
proved the  shooting  qualities  wonderfully. 

A  twelve  gauge  gun  which  will  nicely  distribute  its  load 
of  one  and  one-quarter  ounces  of  No.  8  shot,  and  place 
two  hundred  and  fifty  pellets  in  a  thirty  inch  circle  at  forty 
yards,  is  amply  sufficient  for  upland  shooting. 

The  sixteen  gauge  should  be  about  six  pounds  in  weight, 
twenty-eight  inch  barrels.  From  two  and  one-quarter  to 
two  and  three-quarter  drams  of  powder,  and  three-quarter 
to  seven-eighths  ounce  of  shot  is  a  load.  It  is  very  difficult 
to  get  a  reputable  manufacturer  to  make  a  cylinder  bore. 
The  popular  estimate  of  a  gun's  merits  is  the  closeness  of  its 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  323 

pattern  at  forty  yards,  and  a  maker  dislikes  to  send  out  a  gun 
that  makes  a  pattern  which  might  be  considered  inferior. 
The  economy  in  the  cost  of  shooting,  ease  of  manipulation 
and  comfort  in  carrying  a  sixteen  gauge  is  much  in  its 
favor,  and  its  capabilities  are  adequate  to  the  requirements 
of  quail  shooting.  If  the  shooter  can  afford  it,  it  is  much 
better  to  own  special  guns,  a  sixteen,  ten  and  twelve  gauge. 
The  ten  gauge  should  weigh  from  nine  to  ten  pounds,  and 
is  superior  for  ducks  and  geese.  It  is  commonly  used  with 
from  four  to  six  drams  of  powder,  and  an  ounce  and  one- 
quarter  of  shot.  The  smaller  bores  will  shoot  small  sizes 
of  shot  with  nearly  as  much  force  as  the  ten  bore,  but  the 
killing  circle  is  less.  The  large  sizes  of  shot  can  be  used 
better  in  the  ten  bore.  As  for  the  smaller  bores  being  equal 
in  shooting  capabilities  to  the  large  bores,  it  is  an  absurdity. 
Weight  of  powder,  lead,  bore  and  metal  is  palpably  an  ad- 
vantage, else  there  would  not  be  any  more  force  in  a  can- 
non than  a  twenty  bore. 

The  length  and  drop  of  stock  must  be  determined  by  the 
sportsman  himself.  Every  one  has  some  peculiarities  of 
physical  structure  which  must  be  considered  in  selecting  a 
gun  which  will  fit  properly,  and  the  fitness  can  only  be  de- 
termined by  actual  trial  either  with  an  adjustable  gun  which 
large  dealers  usually  keeps  for  a  purpose,  or  by  selecting 
one  out  of  a  large  number.  In  shooting,  it  is  a  matter  of 
prime  importance  to  have  a  gun  which  is  so  shaped  that  it 
can  be  thrown  into  position  easily  and  accurately. 

Usually  the  large  manufacturers  or  their  agents  give  a 
discount  of  twenty-five  or  thirty  per  cent,  from  the  list 
price,  which  would  make  a  gun,  listed  at  fifty  dollars,  cost 
thirty-five  or  thirty-seven  dollars  and  fifty  cents.  This  is  as 
low  as  a  purchaser  should  go  in  prices  if  he  wishes  to  get  a 
serviceable,  reliable  gun.  The  cheaper  grades  of  American 
guns  are  far  superior  to  those  of  foreign  make  of  like  grade 


324  MODERN    TRAINING. 

in  respect  to  price  ;  but  in  the  high  grades,  from  three  hun- 
dred dollars  up,  the  foreign  made  gun  is  the  best. 

From  fifty  dollars  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hun- 
dred dollars,  the  quality  of  the  gun  rapidly  improves,  but 
not  in  a  regular  ratio;  for  instance,  there  is  a  vast  differ- 
ence between  the  material,  workmanship  and  finish  of  a 
fifty  dollar  gun  and  a  one  hundred  dollar  gun,  but  there  may 
be  only  finer  grades  of  the  same  material  in  a  one  hundred 
and  a  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollar  gun,  and  the  latter  may 
have  a  better  finish.  Beyond  the  latter  price,  the  value  is 
chiefly  in  fine  engraving,  rare  wood  in  the  stock,  and  costly 
finish  and  hand  labor.  As  serviceable  and  handsome  a  gun 
as  a  sportsman  needs  can  now  be  bought  of  American  make 
from  several  prominent  manufacturers,  for  one  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  or  even  less.  They  are  quite  as  nicely  bal- 
anced as  the  English  high  grade  guns,  and  there  is  not  the 
extreme  difference  that  is  commonly  ascribed  to  them.  A 
very  small  part  is  fact  and  a  very  large  part  is  imagination. 
If  a  number  of  the  higher  grades  of  American  guns  and  a 
like  number  of  foreign  guns  were  placed  in  a  dark  room  so 
that  the  eye  would  not  assist,  it  is  doubtful  whether  any  man 
is  expert  enough  to  determine  the  difference  in  them  if  re- 
stricted to  determining  by  the  balance  alone.  The  Ameri- 
can made  guns  in  the  higher  grades  are  constructed  of  fine 
material,  are  finely  fitted,  artistically  finished,  nicely  propor- 
tioned, and  shoot  equal  to  the  best.  If  two  guns,  of  eqnal 
weights  and  measurements,  balance  alike  at  or  near  the 
hinge,  there  cannot  be  a  great  difference  in  the  handling 
of  them  even  if  one  bears  the  name  of  an  English  maker, 
the  other  an  American.  While  a  nicely  balanced  gun  is 
necessary,  the  exquisite,  poetical,  ethereal,  dreamy  balance 
is  unnecessary  for  good  shooting,  particularly  if  it  is  neces- 
sary to  pay  two  or  three  hundred  dollars  extra  to  secure  it. 
The  extra  price  is  sure  to  react  on  the  imagination  of  the 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  325 

purchaser  in  such  a  manner  that  he  can  perceive  a  delicacy 
of  balance  which  is  superior  to  all  others. 

In  purchasing  a  gun,  due  regard  should  be  paid  to  the 
weight  of  powder  and  shot  charges  which  are  to  be  used  in 
it.  Different  charges  require  a  special  boring  to  perform 
at  their  best.  Besides,  every  gun  has  its  individual  pecul- 
iarities and  will  shoot  one  certain  load  tetter  than  any  other 
and  such  as  a  matter  of  course,  is  the  best  load  for  it.  Some 
guns  will  shoot  all  sizes  of  small  shot  well,  others  only  one 
or  two.  The  best  load  can  only  be  determined  by  repeated 
trials.  Two  ordinary  felt  wads  or  one  thick  one  over  the 
powder  and  a  card  board  wad  over  the  shot  is  all  the  wad- 
ding necessary  for  ordinary  shooting.  In  early  shooting, 
many  good  field  shots  use  but  one  felt  wad  over  the  pow- 
der, and  it  appears,  from  the  successful  results,  to  be  amply 
sufficient. 

For  chickens,  No.  8  shot  are  fine  enough  early  in  the  sea- 
son. In  September  and  October  y's  and  6's  can  be  used  to 
advantage.  For  snipes  and  woodcocks,  p's  and  ID'S  are 
good.  For  quails,  8's  and  p's,  the  former  size  being  used 
after  the  birds  get  strong  and  heavily  feathered.  In  cold 
weather,  when  strong  and  well  fed,  quails  will  often  fly  a 
long  distance  before  falling,  when  hard  hit  with  9*8  or  ID'S, 
and  occasionally  with  8's,  hence  the  former  do  not  give  the 
uniformity  in  clean  killing  that  the  8's  do. 

There  are  several  important  items  of  information  con- 
cerning the  carriage  of  dogs  which  are  very  advantageous 
to  know  before  starting  on  a  long  railroad  trip  with  dogs  in 
charge.  Always  give  the  preference  to  a  road  that  runs 
through  trains,  even  if  the  rates  are  higher.  Changes  of 
cars  are  very  inconvenient  and  sometimes  occasion  un- 
necessary delay.  Nearly  all  roads  refuse  to  assume  any- 
responsiblity  for  dogs,  or  their  handling  or  baggage.  They 
are  carried  simply  as  a  matter  of  courtesy.  If  there  is  a 
22 


326  MODERN    TRAINING. 

change  of  cars  there  is  always  enough  to  engage  the  sta- 
tion baggageman's  attention,  and  any  request  for  assistance 
must  be  accompanied  with  a  fifty  cent  piece  or  a  dollar. 
There  is  no  time  to  adjust  differences.  The  delay  of  a 
minute  may  be  the  cause  of  a  missed  train. 

Long  journeys  by  rail  are  very  disturbing  to  the  dog's  sys- 
tem, particularly  if  he  is  nervous  and  fretful.  During  the 
stops  for  meals,  the  owner  or  man  in  charge  can  take  him 
out  for  a  short  run,  thereby  giving  opportunity  for  the  nec- 
essary act  of  defecation.  Many  dogs  will  retain  urine  and 
faeces  an  injuriously  long  time,  if  confined  in  a  crate,  thus 
suffering  a  great  deal,  arriving  in  bad  condition  and  requir- 
ing several  days  to  recover.  Sometimes  a  bad  diarrhoea  is 
cause.d  by  neglecting  to  take  the  dog  out  of  his  crate  as 
mentioned.  It  is  better  to  feed  sparingly  a  day  or  so  be- 
fore starting,  and  during  the  journey.  Give  a  few  scraps  of 
meat"  and  all  the  water  he  needs.  He  will  suffer  less  from 
the  effects  of  the  journey  and  recover  quicker  than  if  fed 
liberally.  No  sportsman  should  think  of  traveling  with  a 
dog  without  putting  him  in  a  crate  for  protection  and  to 
guard  against  escape;  besides,  the  dog  is  much  more  com- 
fortable and  easy  to  handle.  It  may  save  the  hunter  a  great 
deal  of  annoyance  also,  for  some  railroads  will  not  carry 
dogs  which  are  not  crated.  When  a  baggage  car  is  crowded 
with  heavy  baggage,  a  dog  on  chain  is  in  constant  danger 
of  injury  or  loss  of  life  from  falling  trunks,  or  others  being 
thrown  or  rolled  into  place,  and  loss  or  escape  under  these 
circumstances  is  not  infrequent.  Moreover,  he  is  constantly 
in  the  way  of  the  baggageman,  and  is  frequently  a  sufferer 
in  consequence;  for  the  baggageman  does  not  always  use 
the  gentlest  means;  in  fact  he  is  generally  so  hurried  that  it 
is  impossible  for  him  to  do  so.  A  gratuity  at  the  start  is  a 
very  discreet  act,  if  any  favors  or  attentions  are  desired. 
There  is  not  a  day  on  any  of  the  great  lines  but  what  there 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING.  337 

are  special  personal  claims  on  his  attention,  and  naturally 
they  grow  wearisome.  Unless  he  is  rewarded,  there  is  no 
reason  why  he  should  consider  one  personal  claim  any  more 
than  hosts  of  others.  As  a  class,  if  treated  courteously 
and  considerately,  they  are  obliging.  That  they  should  not 
always  be  pleased  at  the  sight  of  dogs  is  the  outcome  of 
good  causes.  Their  experience  with  dog  owners  is  not 
always  of  the  pleasantest  kind.  They  meet  the  individual 
dog  owner  who  is  perpetually  wanting  something,  even  at 
the  busiest  moments;  then  there  is  the  imperious  gentleman 
who  thinks  the  presence  of  his  dogs  paramount  to  all  other 
business  of  the  road,  and  demands  what  he  should  request; 
there  is  the  gent  who  is  gentle,  but  persists  in  telling  the 
antecedents  of  his  dog  to  a  maddening  length;  and  there 
is  the  numerous  element  who  try  to  evade  the  payment 
of  tariff  or  gratuity.  Nearly  all  roads  have  an  established 
tariff  on  dogs,  which  in  most  instances  goes  to  the  "bag- 
gageman as  a  perquisite.  Some  roads  will  not  take  dogs 
unless  the  owner  or  his  agent  signs  a  form  releasing  the  road 
from  all  liability  for  death,  injury  or  escape.  It  is  very  un- 
pleasant to  know  that  in  many  instances  the  experience  of 
railroad  officials  with  a  certain  class  of  sportsmen  made  this 
protective  course  necessary;  thus  all  have  to  suffer  for  the 
acts  of  a  few.  When  five  or  six  dogs  are  taken  along,  the 
tariff  is  very  oppressive.  One  or  two  are  allowed  to  go 
free  by  most  roads;  when  the  sportsman  has  more  than  that 
number,  it  is  better  to  write  to  the  general  baggage  agent 
and  make  special  arrangements  if  possible  before  starting. 
If  the  journey  is  long,  it  is  particularly  desirable  to  get  full 
information.  Some  roads  have  a  rule  which  allows  the 
hunter,  who  is  a  passenger,  only  carriage  for  two  dogs — 
over  that  number  they  will  not  carry.  It  is  obvious  that 
if  a  hunter  had  a  ticket  over  such  line  and  had  more  than 
two  dogs  with  him,  he  would  find  himself  very  unpleasantly 


328  MODERN    TRAINING 

circumstanced.  Also  some  roads  very  properly  refuse  to 
carry  dogs  which  are  not  in  crates.  All  these  matters  are 
very  simple,  apparently,  but  they  assume  a  great  importance 
five  minutes  before  train  time  in  a  strange  city. 

A  good,  cheap  crate  is  herewith  described.  It  is  light, 
strong  and  durable.  The  dimensions  are  as  follows: 
Height,  26  inches;  width,  25  inches;  length,  30  inches. 
The  frame  should  be  of  ash,  i^xi^  inches.  Pine  slats, 
2x^8  inches.  The  bottom  strip  should  be  6  inches  wide  to 
keep  the  dog's  feet  or  tail  from  slipping  out,  and  also  to 
retain  the  bedding.  The  bottom  should  be  of  ^  inch  pine 
boards.  Brace  diagonally  across  the  top  to  give  the  neces- 
sary stiffness.  Light  wrought  nails  or  screws  are  the  best 
for  fastening.  A  door  in  the  end,  with  a  hasp,  staple  and 
hinges,  is  necessary.  A  small  box,  opening  on  the  top,  and 
made  a  part  of  the  crate,  is  convenient  for  carrying  food, 
chain,  etc.  A  light  crate  is  easier  to  handle,  is  more  pleas- 
ing to  the  eye  and  is  a  direct  saving  of  money  when  dogs 
are  sent  by  express,  double  first  class  rates  being  the.  ex- 
pressage  on  dogs.  Painting  protects  the  crate  from  becom- 
ing water  logged  by  heavy  rains,  and  also  is  desirable  on 
the  score  of  neatness.  A  case,  made  of  oilcloth  or  other 
waterproof  material,  can  be  made  to  nicely  fit  the  top  and 
sides.  This  will  be  of  frequent  use  in  traveling  as  when 
driving  from  place  to  place  on  stormy  days,  or  in  changing 
cars  where  there  is  a  wait  of  several  hours  and  the  weather 
is  rainy  or  cold.  If,  on  arriving  at  a  strange  place  where 
there  is  no  shelter  for  dogs,  the  crate,  thus  protected,  is  im- 
pervious to  rain  or  wind,  and  is  a  very  good  kennel  for  the 
time  being.  With  respect  to  protection  from  idlers  whose 
curiosity  is  so  obtrusive  as  to  be  irritating  impertinence,  and 
is  a  source  of  constant  annoyance,  a  crate  having  slats  is 
inferior  to  one  having  a  solid  top  and  sides,  with  narrow 
slots  closely  grated,  although  the  latter  is  not  so  comfortable 


DOG  CRATES. 


BREAKING    AND    HANDLING. 


331 


in  hot  weather.  Some  sportsmen  use  crates  with  a  false 
bottom  under  which  are  placed  spiral  springs,  which  add 
greatly  to  the  dog's  comfort. 

There  are  some  faults  occasionally  exhibited  by  the  dog 
which  do  not  properly  come  under  the  head  of  training, 
but  which  need  correcting  when  they  appear,  namely,  killing 
chickens  and  sheep.  If  the  dog  kills  chickens,  make  an 
effort  to  catch  him  in  the  act.  Put  a  spike  collar  on  him 
and  tie  the  rope  around  your  waist,  this  merely  to  hold 
him.  Both  hands  are  then  free.  Take  the  chicken  in  one 
hand  and  the  whip  in  the  other,  hit  him  lightly  over  the 
head  with  the  chicken,  and  at  the  same  time  give  a  severe 
cut  with  the  whip.  Whip  and  scold  alternately.  Graduate 
the  punishment  according  to  the  needs  of  the  dog,  which  is 
determined  by  his  disposition,  number  of  offences,  etc. 
The  principle  is  identical  with  that  of  breaking  a  dog  from 
chasing  rabbits,  etc.,  namely,  he  blinks  them. 

For  chasing  sheep,  the  dog  must  be  soundly  thrashed  if 
caught  in  the  act.  Then  put  a  line  on  him  and  lead  him 
toward  the  sheep;  if  he  shows  the  slightest  disposition  to 
chase,  repeat  the  whipping;  continue  the  treatment  till  he 
will  shrink  at  sight  of  them.  While  giving  the  whipping, 
repeat  at  intervals  the  exclamation  Hi!  or  such  exclamation 
as  is  preferred,  to  make  the  dog  desist.  He  will  soon  learn 
to  heed  it.  If  a  dog  acquires  a  habit  of  sheep-killing 
through  hunting  with  sheep-killing  curs,  he  becomes  cunning 
and  usually  selects  the  night  hours  for  his  depredations. 
When  his  master  is  present  he  may  not  notice  them.  Bad 
management  of  the  owner  is  responsible  for  such  vicious- 
ness.  If  the  dog  cannot  be  caught  in  the  act,  there  is  no 
certain  way  of  breaking  him  of  it.  Hutchinson,  I  think, 
recommends  tying  one  end  of  a  stiff  stick  to  the  dog's  col- 
lar the  other  end  to  the  horns  of  a  strong  ram,  the  severe 
jerking  and  consequent  terror  caused  by  the  efforts  of  the 


332 


MODERN    TRAINING. 


ram  to  butt  the  dog  being  considered  effectively  curative. 
As  a  matter  of  opinion  the  author  would  consider  it- to  be 
of  doubtful  efficacy.  The  dog  is  too  intelligent  to  be 
deterred  by  such  treatment,  or  the  more  absurd  one  of 
tying  a  piece  of  sheepskin  to  his  mouth  so  that  the  taste  and 
annoyance  of  the  wool  will  create  a  dislike  to  catching 
sheep. 


HOW  TO 

BREED,  EXHIBIT  *»  MANAGE 
DOGS. 


By     " 


PRICE, $3.00. 

ADDRESS 
J.  L.  THAYER  PUB.  CO.,    -    248  Boylston  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 


Extracts  from  Press  Comments.     (Continued.) 


"  Of  its  intrinsic  worth  to  breeders,  fanciers,  exhibitors,  and  all  interested  in 
dogdom,  it  would  be  impossible  to  speak  too  highly." 

American  Field. 

"  The  most  beautiful  book  yet  published  on  matters  pertaining  exclusively  to 
the  dog  is  '  Ashmont's '  new  work  entitled  '  Kennel  Secrets.'  " 

The  Sportsmen's  Review. 

"  To  say  that  it  is  a  superb  work  is  to  put  it  mild.  The  text  is  of  inestimable  value 
to  every  dog  man  in  the  land.  The  illustrations,  170  in  number,  are  the  finest  ex- 
ecuted half-tones  ever  published." 

Pacific  Field  Sports. 

"The  consensus  of  opinion  is,  that  it  is  the  best  and  most  elaborate  book  of  the 
kind  ever  turned  out  by  a  publishing  house.  At  $3.00,  the  sale  of  the  first  volume 
should  be  enormous." 

Turf,  Field  and  Farm . 

"  It  is  truly  a  grand  production,  and  by  far  the  most  valuable  addition  to  canine 
literature  that  has  been  made.  *  *  *  *  The  value  of  the  illustrations,  showing  as  they 
do  specimens  nearest  perfection,  and  in  so  many  different  positions,  is  well-nigh  in- 
calculable, for  fanciers  can  now  create  near  ideals  of  the  dogs  they  must  breed  to 
advance  the  work  of  improvement." 

New  York  Herald. 

"  Ashmont  has  given  to  the  dog  fancier  a  most  valuable  little  book  on  the  diseases 
of  the  dog,  and  few  indeed  are  the  kennels  where  it  is  not  to  be  found,  or  where  it 
is  not  immediately  consulted  on  the  first  symptoms  of  anything  being  wrong,  but  his 
earlier  efforts  are  entirely  eclipsed  by  '  Kennel  Secrets,'  a  work  of  344  pages,  devoted 
to  the  care,  management,  and  breeding  of  the  dog.  The  scope  of  this  book  is  great ; 
none  but  an  experienced  '  dog  man '  would  have  dared  to  have  attempted  it.  But, 
although  Dr.  Perry  aimed  high  when  he  undertook  '  Kennel  Secrets,'  no  one  can 
deny  that  he  has  hit  the  bullseye.  *  *  *  *  It  has  proved  an  enormous  success,  and  the 
verdict  of  the  fancier  seems  to  be  that  nothing  so  good  has  appeared  since '  Stonehenge  ' 
produced  his  famous  work  on  the  dog." 

Boston  Herald. 

"  The  '  secret '  is  out  —  that  is,  '  Kennel  Secrets,'  and  it  is  worth  the  waiting. 
Already  we  have  made  favorable  mention  of  the  work,  judged  from  the  advance  sheets 
and  proofs  of  the  illustrations.  The  complete  volume  more  than  fulfils  the  promise 
of  these  harbingers.  If  the  mind  is  educated  through  the  eye,  then  the  pictures  in 
this  book  are  a  whole  college  course  in  dog  lore.  Most  of  them  are  absolutely 
perfect,  and  show  only  the  best  type  of  the  breed  illustrated.  That  is,  the  pictures 
of  the  dogs,  and  perhaps  the  statement  might  be  extended  to  include  the  gentlemen 
here  represented;  for  they  are  surely  worthy  types  of  dog  lovers.  The  price  of  the 
book  is  $3-00,  and  it  contains  nearly  350  pages  of  attractively  printed  wisdom  on  the 
breeding,  management,  and  exhibition  of  clogs.  Every  dog  man  will  wish  to  own  a 
copy," 

Dog  Fancier. 


Extracts  from  Testimonials.     (Continued.) 


"  Your  great  work  has  been  my  constant  companion  for  many  evenings,  and  it  is 
needless  to  add  that  the  company  has  been  most  agreeable  and  profitable.  In  face 
of  the  many  praises  from  competent  critics,  anything  from  me  would  be  superfluous, 
but  I  cannot  refrain  from  pronouncing  it  a  wonder  and  the  kennel  book  of  this  or 
any  other  age." 

Mr.  Charles  E.  Bunn. 

"  Am  extremely  well  pleased  with  the  typographical  appearance,  and  its  splendid 
engravings,  but  more  especially  with  the  reading  matter,  which  is  certainly  the  best 
ever  given  the  Dog  Fanciers  of  this  or  any  other  country." 

Mr.  A.  E.  Pitts. 

"  '  Kennel  Secrets '  is  an  evidently  scientific  and  practical  work,  showing  advanced 
thought  and  great  labor  on  the  part  of  our  esteemed  '  Ashmont.'  It  can  be  trusted, 
and  I  commend  it  as  a  guide  in  the  care  and  treatment  of  our  much  loved  friend  — 
the  dog." 

Dr.  A.  G.  Aldrich. 

"  I  am  delighted  with  the  binding  and  elegant  engravings,  but  what  is  of  a  more 
priceless  value  to  us  doggy  men  is  the  good  solid  food  for  study  it  contains  —  written 
in  a  clear  concise  style  that  needs  only  to  be  read  to  be  appreciated.  It  is  certainly 
a  boon  to  a  lover  of  the  dog,  whether  he  owns  only  one  or  a  large  kennel.  Should 
this  book  be  read  as  extensively  as  it  deserves,  there  will  certainly  be  less  mistakes 
from  ignorance  in  the  breeding  and  care  of  dogs  in  the  next  decade  than  there  has 
been  in  the  last." 

Mr.  IV.  B.  Me  Cloud. 

"  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  it  is  the  most  complete  and  comprehensive  work  on 
the  subject  that  has  ever  been  brought  to  my  notice.  Every  line  in  it  testifies,  not 
only  to  the  author's  scientific  attainments,  but  also  to  a  thorough  knowledge  of  dogs 
and  their  treatment,  which  could  only  be  obtained  by  many  years  of  close  observation 
and  practical  experience." 

Mr.  James  Mortimer. 

' '  Kennel  Secrets '  alone  tells  how  to  breed  and  exhibit  dogs  successfully. 
Kennel  Secrets '  alone  tells  how  to  properly  feed  and  raise  puppies. 
Kennel  Secrets '  alone  tells  how  to  wash  and  condition  show  dogs. 
Kennel  Secrets '  alone  tells  the  best  hair  growing  treatment  for  Yorkshires. 
Kennel  Secrets'  alone  introduces  the  fancier  to  the  secrets  of  the  kennel. 
Kennel  Secrets '  alone  portrays  the  grandest  dogs  of  two  kennel  worlds. 
'  Manifestly,  then, '  Kennel  Secrets  '  stands  alone,  and  he  who  disregards  its  teach- 
ings will  count  many  losses  and  but  few  blue  ribbons."     . 

Mr.  Charles  H.  Mason. 

"  After  a  thorough  examination'and  perusal,  I  do  not  hesitate  to  pronounce  it  the 
most  remarkable  book  that  has  ever  been  published  relative  to  the  Dog.  Not  only 
remarkable  for  its  beautiful  and  perfect  illustrations,  which  excel  anything  of  the 
kind  that  has  ever  been  published,  and  for  its  general  handsome  appearance,  but  also 
for  the  masterly  manner  in  which  the  subject  has  been  handled  by  its  distinguished 
author,  who  has  gone  into  this  work  with  a  thoroughness  of  detail  that  is  immeasu- 
rably valuable  to  all  breeders  and  others  interested  in  dogs." 

W.  L.  Washington  (^ 


CONTENTS. 


PART  L  —  MANAGEMENT, 


CHAPTER   I. 

THE   NATURAL   DIET. 

PAGE 

The  dog  of  to-day.  — Diet  best  suited  to  him.  —  Familiar  faults  in  feed- 
ing. —  Quantity  of  meat  required  daily.  —  Influences  which  modify  it.  — 
Force  of  individual  peculiarities.  —  Dangers  of  excess  of  meat.  —  Rela- 
tions between  effects  of  animal  and  vegetable  foods. — The  right  pro- 
portions of  the  ingredients  of  a  mixed  diet.  — Allowances  that  should 
be  made  for  existing  circumstances.  —  Distinct  lines  on  which  to  for- 
mulate diet-tables 3 

CHAPTER  II. 

VARIETIES   OF   ANIMAL   FOODS. 

Proportions  of  meat  required  by  puppies.  —  Penalties  for  over-feeding.  — 
Special  value  of  raw  meat.  —  Prejudices  against  it  duly  considered.  — 
Relation  between  an  animal's  disposition  and  his  food.  —  Meat  and 
the  scenting  powers.  —  Important  facts  about  common  foods.  —  When 
horse-flesh  is  wholesome.  —  Milk  in  its  various  forms.  —  Eggs  as  a 
food  and  medicine.  — Their  action  in  health  and  disease.  —  Fish,  how 
it  should  be  cooked  and  served .  .  .  .  .  .  .  19 

CHAPTER   III. 

VEGETABLE   FOODS. 

Capabilities  of  dogs'  digestive  powers.  — Special  effects   of   vegetables 

on  the  blood.  —  The  various  starchy  foods.  —  Wheat  and  its  products.  — 

Much  about  bread  remnants.  —  Prejudices  against  corn  meal. — The 

foundations  for  the  same,  —  Right  method  of  use.  —  Oatmeal,  and  its 

vii 


vlU  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

peculiar  effects.  —  Rice,  and  its  admirable  qualities.  —  Nutritive  value 
of  barley  and  rye.  —  How  starches  should  be  cooked.  —  The  propor- 
tions of  them  allowable ,e 

CHAPTER   IV. 

DIETARY   FOR   PUPPIES. 

The  right  period  for  weaning.  —  Essential  preparatory  steps.  —  Various 
foods  to  be  used.  —  Proper  quantities  of  each.  — Number  of  feedings 
demanded.  — Of  what  each  should  consist,  up  to  the  eighth  month. — 
The  great  secrets  of  puppy-raising.  —  Means  of  preventing  deformi- 
ties.—  Many  absurd  notions  combated.  —  Ruinous  results  of  over- 
feeding. —  Treatment  of  common  affections  by  dietetic  means  .  .  49 

CHAPTER  V. 

GENERAL   DIETARY. 

The  foods,  quantities,  and  combinations  for  toys. — Of  what  each  meai 
should  consist. — -Special  directions  for  feeding  the  overweighty. — 
Rules  against  over-feeding.  —  Many  valuable  hints  for  novices.  —  How 
mature" dogs  should  be  fed.  — The  number  of  meals  they  should  have.  — 
Methods  of  preparing  meat.  — Quantities  required  under  various  con- 
ditions of  life.  —  Foods  that  should  be  associated  with  it.  —  Requisite 
proportions  of  each.  — Treatment  of  dainty  feeders.  — In  total  loss  of 
appetite .  .  .65 

CHAPTER   VI. 

KENNELLING. 

The  most  primitive  kennels.  —Their  glaring  defects.  —  A  suitable  kennel. 
—  The  best  situation  for  it. — Complete  directions  for  builders.  —  Its 
various  furnishings. — Absolute  requisites  to  health. — To  secure  free- 
dom from  vermin. — Method  of  fumigation  by  sulphur.  —  Important 
considerations  in  large  kennels.  —  Precautions  to  be  observed  in  stable 
quarters. — An  efficient  deodorizer 8l 

CHAPTER  VII. 

EXERCISE. 

Physiology  of  exercise.  —  Baneful  results  of  too  close  confinement.  — 
Yards  for  puppies.  —  Prime  requisites.  —  Infinite  importance  of  clean- 
liness. —  Yards  for  mature  dogs.  —  Economy  and  efficiency  duly  con- 


CONTENTS.  ix 

PAGE 

sidered.  —  Devices  for  exercising  in  cities.  —  How  to  estimate  the 
amount  of  work  imperative  for  puppies.  —  For  the  mature. — Special 
requirements  for  dogs  in  the  stud 93 

CHAPTER   VIII. 

THE   DRINKING   WATER. 

Dangers  in  foul  water. —  Some  important  physiological  facts.  —  Preva- 
lent theories  that  are  unsound.  —  Symptoms  caused  by  denial  of  suffi- 
cient water.  —  Excess  rarely,  if  ever,  to  be  feared.— One  of  the  first 
essentials  in  all  kennels. — Difficulties  in  maintaining  healthfulness 
where  there  are  many  inmates.  —  Water  for  puppies.  —  Its  peculiar 
beneficial  action  on  digestion 109 

CHAPTER    IX. 

WASHING    AND    GROOMING. 

When  frequent  washing  is  imperative.  —  Injurious  effects  of  cheap  soaps. 

—  The  required  articles  of  toilet.  —  General  rules  for  washing.  —  Egg 
shampoos.  —  Necessary    treatment    after    bathing.  —  Remedies  where 
the  coat  is  harsh.  —  Influences  which  greatly  injure  fine  hair.  —  Ab.so- 
lute    essentials    to    its    health.  —  When    it  falls  out. — The    common 
causes.  — Safe  and  efficient  hair  restorers    .          .         .         .         .         .116 

CHAPTER   X. 

TROUBLESOME   INSECTS. 

Nature  and  habits  of  fleas.  — Agents  that  are,  obnoxious  to  them.  —  The 
most  potent  preventive. —  Powerful  flea-destroyers.  — Insect  powders. 

—  Tinctures  of  the  same.  —  Cheap  and  potent  solution  of  carbolic  acid. 

—  Real  facts  as  to  flea-soaps  in  general.  — To  afford  relief  from  flies.  — 
Sure  remedies  for  lice.  —  For  the  removal  of  wood-ticks.  —  Treatment 

of  kennels  when  infested 120 


PART  II.— EXHIBITING. 

CHAPTER   I. 

PREPARATORY    WORK. 

The  real  danger  of  infection  at  shows.  —  Infinitely  less  than  generally 
supposed.  —  Much  of  interest  about  distemper  and  mange.  —  Amount 
of  work  required.  —  Expedients  where  opportunities  are  limited.  —  Er- 


X  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

roneous  notions  that  are  productive  of  much  harm.  —  How  sporting 
.     dogs  are  often  injured.  —  Medicines  commonly  used  for  conditioning. 

—  Serious  results  which  follow  their  use 143 

CHAPTER   II. 

THE   FEEDING. 

Special  requirements  of  common  varieties.  — -The  most  nutritive  and  di- 
gestible foods. — -Number  of  meals  required  daily. — The  methods  of 
preparation.  — Forced  or  spoon  feeding. — -The  feeding  of  toys  in 
general.  — An  absurd  notion  dispelled.  —  The  foods  they  should  have. 

—  How  the  same  should  be  cooked.  — At  which  meals  they  should  be 
given. — The  quantities  and  proportions  of  each.  —  Remedies  to  be 
found  in  the  feeding-pan.  — Dietetic  treatment  of  the  overweighty       .   155 

CHAPTER    III. 

CONDITIONING   THE   COAT. 

When  the  work  of  improvement  should  commence.  —  Character  and 
amount  of  grooming  required.  —  Expedient  Lo  be  resorted  to  in  ex- 
treme cases.  — Special  precautions  to  be  observed  in  all  instances.  — 
Where  novices  are  liable  to  be  at  fault.  — The  last  wash  before  the 
show.  —  Formula  for  the  best  kennel  soap. — Washing  with  eggs. — 
How  to  wash  a  Yorkshire  terrier.  —  Each  step  in  the  process  fully  de- 
scribed    ....  166 

CHAPTER   IV. 

TO    AND    FROM    THE    SHOW. 

A  suitable  crate.  —  Injunctions  as  to  feeding  while  on  the  cars. — A 
mistake  that  has  often  proved  fatal.  — Choosing  a  caretaker.  — Rules 
which  he  should  observe.  —  A  provision  against  mange  and  eczema.  — 
The  return  journey.  —  Precautions  against  the  transmission  of  conta- 
gion.—  Disinfection,  after  home  is  reached. — Dietetic  restrictions 
that  are  advisable.  — The  only  medicinal  treatment  generally  required.  177 

CHAPTER   V. 

ON   THE   BENCH. 

The  feeding. — When  the  appetite  is  impaired.  —  A  common  custom  to 
be  avoided.— The  first  essential  to  the  maintenance  of  good  condi- 
tion. —  Before  the  judges.  —Ring  etiquette.  — Grave  mistake  of  many 


CONTENTS.  xi 

PAGE 

exhibitors.  — Golden  rule  for  all  to  follow.  —  Hints  for  show  manage- 
ments. —  Delusions  about  disinfectants.  —  Unwarrantable  inflictions 
upon  dogs  and  visitors.  —  Measures  of  relief  advised  .  .  .  185 


PART  III.— BREEDING. 

CHAPTER  I. 

SELECTION    OF   SIRE. 

Methods  of  the  average  breeder. — Glaring  faults  uncovered. — Why 
failures  are  so  common.  —  The  prime  essentials  to  success.  — Lines  on 
which  sires  should  be  chosen. — Breeding  sporting  dogs. — Advan- 
tages of  in-breeding.  —  Its  pernicious  effects.  —  Influence  of  the 
previous  sire. — Unsound  theories  combated. — Where  misalliance 
occurs.  —  Importance  of  pedigree. — Interesting  experiments  in  hy- 
bridizing.—  Valuable  lessons  therefrom 197 

CHAPTER   II. 

IN   SEASON. 

Too  early  mating  and  maturity.  —  Effects  on  the  mother. — On  the  off- 
spring. —  Is  mating  at  the  first  season  justified  ?  —  The  method  of 
"shaping."  —  Maturing  periods. — Signs  presented  during  the  "  rut- 
ting season." — When  to  mate  is  possible.  —  Successful  service. — 
Absolute  essentials  in  both  subjects  of  a  union. —  One  common  cause 
of  great  mortality  among  puppies.  —  Breeding  at  every  season.  — 
Obesity  and  sterility. — When  a  cure  is  possible. — The  treatment 
required. — The  right  condition  for  breeding 214 

CHAPTER  III. 
BEFORE   WHELPING. 

Exercise  during  gestation.  —  Its  infinite  importance.  —  Essential  precau- 
tions. —  Signs  of  pregnancy.  —  Some  pronounced  absurdities.  —  Diet 
of  the  bitch  in  pup. — Highly  instructive  experiments. — The  real 
effects  of  raw  meats.  —  Bone-making  materials. — The  one  that 
promises  best.  — The  whelping  quarters.  —  Important  measures  against 
worms. — Bed  and  bedding.  —  Popular  fallacies  regarding  them. — 
Abuse  of  cathartics  and  laxative  foods 229 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

TREATMENT    OF    THE    MOTHER. 

PAGB 

First  signs  of  .  whelping.  —  Companionship  advocated.  —  Puerperal 
mania.  —  Hints  for  attendants.  —  Danger  to  puppies  from  crushing.  — 
Measures  of  prevention.  —  Temperature  of  the  whelping  quarters.  — 
Phenomena  of  labor.  —  After  treatment  of  the  mother.  —  Of  the  pup- 
pies. —  The  puppy-eating  habit.  —  The  various  influences  which  cause 
it.  —  The  remedy  required  in  most  cases.  —  Diet  after  whelping.  —  Of 
what  each  meal  should  consist.  —  Constant  liberty  for  the  nursing 
mother  ............  243 

CHAPTER   V. 

CARE   OF  THE   NEW-BORN. 

The  favorable  season  for  whelping.  —  Degrees  of  heat  required  by 
puppies.  —  Fatal  faults  emphasized.  —  When  the  milk  secretion  is 
scanty.  —  Milk  fever.  —  Foster  mothers.  —  Considerations  in  making 
selections.  —  Nourishing  artificially.  —  By  various  animals.  —  Weeding 
out  litters.  —  When  suffocated  by  the  mother.  —  Impediments  to 
nursing.  —  Remedies  for  sore  breasts.  —  Poisoning  by  the  mother's 
milk.  —  How  it  maybe  detected.  —Treatment  of  the  mother.  —  Of 
the  puppies  ...........  260 

CHAPTER    VI. 

EARLIEST    PUPPYHOOD. 

Infinite  importance  of  warmth.  —  A  cause  of  many  failures  in  breeding. 
—  Ill  effects  resulting  from  sleeping-boxes.  —  Measures  for  the  re- 
moval of  vermin.  —Treatment  of  colic.  —  Hygiene  of  the  puppy 
quarters.  —  Poisons  generated  in  milk.  —  Grooming  and  washing.  — 
Prevention  of  deformities.  —Golden  rules  for  fanciers.  —  Worthless 
puppies.  —  The  destroyer  to  be  used.  —  Cautions  against  over-stock- 
ing. —Notions  about  teething.  —Operation  of  docking.  —The  re- 
moval of  dew  claws  .  .  .  .  .....  2°l 

CHAPTER   VII. 

TRAINING. 

Earliest  education  of  puppies.  —  House-breaking.  -—  Introduction  to  new 
homes.  —  Qualities  essential  in  the  educator.  —  Right  methods  of  re- 
straint and  correction.  —  Perversity  and  self-will.  —  Power  of  kind- 


CONTENDS.  xiii 

FAGS 

ness.  —  Some  very  annoying  habits.  — The  use  of  the  whip.  —  Happy 
effect  of  association. — Training  of  watchers.  —  A  dangerous  method. 

—  The  right  way.  —  Retrieving  and  its  advantages      ....  304 

CHAPTER   VIII. 

INTESTINAL   PARASITES. 

The  course  of  infection. — The  most  potent  means  of  prevention. — 
Symptoms  of  worms.  —  Peculiar  action  of  the  pests.  —  How  they 
cause  death.  —  Post-mortem  appearances. — Treatment  of  nursing 
puppies.  —  After  the  weaning.  —  Dangers  in  anthelmintics.  —  Much 
of  interest  about  santonin.  — The  first  mixture  to  be  used.  — A  stronger 
preparation.  — Definite  rules  for  estimating  doses.  — Relief  in  desper- 
ate cases 314 

CHAPTER  IX. 

POTENT   WORM-DESTROYERS. 

Directions  for  treatment  of  toys.  —  Areca  nut.  —  Its  peculiar  action.  — 
Safety  lines.  —  Rule  for  adjusting  doses.  —  Best  methods  of  adminis- 
tration. —  Remedy  for  tape-worm.  — General  treatment  for  worms.  — 
A  shot-gun  mixture.  — Its  preparation.  —  Influence  of  diet  on  worms. 

—  Preventive  measures.  — Liability  of  infection  in  kennels.  — Precau- 
tions which  should  be  applied 331 


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